Will Blizzard Blow Away Sales?

Experts divided over impact Super Saturday storm will have on retailers.

ByABC News
December 19, 2009, 6:09 PM

Dec. 19, 2009 — -- Retailers up and down the eastern seaboard could take a major hit over this crucial pre-holiday weekend as the season's first blizzard blasts up the coast.

Traditionally, Super Saturday -- the last Saturday before Christmas -- has brought in an estimated $15 billion in sales, but the extreme weather is threatening to put a deep dent in sales.

"This is bad news, as it will hit significant population centers," said Scott Bernhardt, COO of Planalytics, which measures weather impacts on shopping behavior. "Lots of people will be affected by this storm."

Retail consultant Burt Flickinger said the storm is hitting an area filled with malls and big box retailers like Walmart, Kmart and Toys "R" Us. Flickinger said he worried that malls will lack sufficient snow plows to clear out parking lots and that cutbacks by local and state governments of law enforcement will lead to insufficient traffic control in shopping areas.

He pointed out that it was difficult for shoppers to get in and out of stores this year on Black Friday when the weather was warm and dry. With inclement weather, the situation could be worse and shoppers may opt to stay home, perhaps even shopping online, as many shippers have extended the deadline for packages to arrive in time for Christmas.

"The one thing a retailer doesn't want is a major snowstorm on the Saturday before Christmas," Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at the NPD Group, told Reuters. "This is definitely not the Christmas gift any retailer would ever ask for.

"It was kind of eerie the Friday night before Christmas to see some of the retail malls not as busy as they should have been," he added about the sporadic shopper traffic he saw at stores on the East Coast.

But other retail experts aren't so sure.

"It's not like people are going to suddenly stop shopping," said Bob Phibbs, CEO of the consulting firm The Retail Doctor. "I think we need to have a little balance. It's not like the demand goes away with a storm. Aunt Clara still needs her perfume and you still need to get chocolates for your wife."