Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Last Minute Shoppers Less Than Hoped For

Aired December 24, 2001 - 09:35   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: All right. You can shop for Christmas gifts year round and still find yourself making a mad dash to the checkout line on Christmas Eve, you know.

CNN's Phillipa Holland is outside Macy's in Manhattan to talk to some last-minute shoppers. How many are there, there, Phillipa?

PLILLIPA HOLLAND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Not as many as the retailers would have hoped for, Miles. They are really hoping for a miracle on 34th Street. It's Christmas Eve. Macy's is opening today at 8:00 this morning, they're staying open all the way through 6:00 tonight, as are many of the nation's retailers. Trying to get as many shoppers through those doors as possible.

Weekend numbers were a little bit off of what they were hoping for across the country. Consumer confidence is down a little bit, and investor are -- or shoppers are more inclined to just hang onto their money. The theme of this season is certainly discounts. I took a quick spin through Macy's myself, and I can tell you, everywhere to be seen, 10 percent, 20 percent, 30 percent, 50 percent off.

We thought we'd catch up with some folks that joined us here from Arizona, travelling to New York to spend a little bit of time here, and also, their first trip to Macy's. This is Deena Pickering and her granddaughters. Tell us what it is that you're here to do today.

DEENA PICKERING, ARIZONA: To shop and look at the store and take picture with Santa.

HOLLAND: Now -- in the shopping for Christmas that you've been doing, has it as busy as it was last year? Are you spending as much?

PICKERING: No, we're not spending as much.

HOLLAND: How come? Why is that?

PICKERING: Just -- we're just not. Because probably we're in New York and seeing a lot of sights.

HOLLAND: And what is it -- wouldn't be possible to have Christmas if Santa didn't know what it is that you want. What is it that you guys are asking for for Christmas this year?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Dumbo. Anything Dumbo. HOLLAND: Anything Dumbo. And?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Anything Eeyore.

HOLLAND: Anything Eeyore. There are plenty of gifts still to be had and it is a bargain hunter's paradise. So, there's still plenty of time to still shop here at Christmas Eve at Macy's in New York. Back to you, Miles.

O'BRIEN: All right. Hoping for a miracle on 34th Street. Thank you very much, Phillipa. We appreciate it.

Dumbo in New York. Who knew? I missed that one.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com