Shop till you drop no more: Retailers found holiday cheer hard to come by this year

In a season filled with uncertainty and turmoil, holiday shoppers still found ways to get the biggest bang for their buck.

By Melissa Saegert Elicker

Despite a dismal holiday shopping season generally, Deanne Butchey, instructor, Department of Finance and Real Estate and assistant dean, Assurance of Learning and Accreditation, College of Business Administration, notes that areas of strength emerged. In an economy fraught with difficulties, savvy shoppers found ways to seize bargains, save gasoline, choose practical gifts, and minimize their use of credit. She offers insights into how people made their purchases, considers the impact of their strategy on South Florida, and provides a forecast for 2009.

Link to the complete article in Business Networks, the FIU Business Newsletter