Monday, October 22, 2007

Retailer Excuse of the Month

Target cuts October same-store sales view
In a recorded message, the retailer said its reduced forecast was partly based on "greater-than-normal daily volatility and continued disappointing sales results for the first two weeks of October."

Greater-than-normal daily volatility? Really?

Sales Manager: Why aren't you buying?
Customer: I came in here yesterday.
Sales Manager: Our records show you did.
Customer: Don't I normally come in on Fridays?
Sales Manager: Yeah. We were concerned about you.
Customer: I think I'll spend an extra hour in here on Thursday.
Sales Manager: Can we expect to see you on Friday?
Customer: I've already said too much as it is!

Customer then runs out of the store in a blind panic while looking over his shoulder in a most paranoid way!


This greater-than-normal daily volatility excuse better not catch on. You can bet that if it works for a retailer, with presumably fairly stable pricing, just imagine what it would do to a stock market!

2 comments:

DannyHSDad said...

Retailers scramble to size up wildfire impact

So now retailers have a new excuse for slower sales in retail (at least in SoCal)....

Stagflationary Mark said...

dannyhsdad,

Yeah, they'll sweep as many one-time charges into the fire as they can no doubt.