Business

Short holiday shopping season adds to retailers headaches

Goodbye, Thanksgiving. Hello, Thanksgetting.

The economy is still hurting, and this holiday shopping season will be hurt by another thing nobody can do anything about — it’s so darned short.

Thanksgiving — always the last Thursday in November — is falling late this year, giving retailers fewer days between Turkey Day and Christmas to convince consumers they need to spend money.

So you shouldn’t be surprised that stores are trying to jump the gun on sales, with many holiday discounts coming much earlier than usual.

In fact, there will be virtually no advantage for consumers to wait until Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving that’s traditionally the kickoff to the holiday shopping season.

Many retailers diluted Black Friday sales years ago when stores started opening on Thanksgiving evening.

But this is the first year that Macy’s, the store that’s arguably the most holiday-tradition-bound, will be joining the crowd.

Macy’s will barely be able to deflate its parade balloons and say goodbye to Santa — who brings up the rear of its parade — before its employees will need to prepare for an 8 p.m. Thanksgiving opening.

Not to be outdone, Kmart and Sears are opening at 6 a.m. Thanksgiving morning.

Nevertheless, a new study from Morgan Stanley maintains that none of it will keep Scrooge from retailers’ doors.

Citing ongoing uncertainty about the economy, focus on big-ticket items, increased promotional activity, and yes, unfavorable calendar shifts, the study predicts a 1.6 percent increase in holiday same-store sales, below last year’s 3.5 percent rise.

Thanksgiving is traditionally a celebration of abundance, which is one reason we stuff ourselves silly. But retailers are working their hardest (and earliest) to make sure our wallets, at least, are thinner.