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CNN Saturday Morning News
Interview with Christmas Shoppers
Aired December 20, 2003 - 09:41 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.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: Well, there are only five, count them, five days to go before Christmas. Are you one of the many still making a list and checking it twice? If you are, you are not alone. This weekend, the malls and stores might well be overrun with frantic last-minute shoppers.
And one of the busiest places just might be Herald Square in New York City. That's where our Michael Okwu is standing by with the latest. So Michael, are they just surrounding you, or has the mall not opened yet?
MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The mall is not quite open yet. We got here early, Andrea. But certainly outside in Herald Square, you can see people sort of busying themselves, ready to start laying down the plastic or putting down their hard-earned cash.
This mall not open yet, but some of the stores are beginning to open. And in fact, Rebecca Ratner -- is that right, Rebecca? -- is here trying to do her shopping. What we're being told, by the way, Andrea, is that lots of shoppers have not really started a major part of their shopping for the season yet.
And something tells me that Rebecca hasn't done that either.
REBECCA RATNER, SHOPPER: I have not.
OKWU: Because you were very embarrassed when we approached you.
RATNER: I am. I still have my mother, my father, and my grandmother to purchase gifts for.
OKWU: Why do you wait so late?
RATNER: Christmas came early this year -- late, early, I don't know, the whole holiday season was delayed because of Thanksgiving. I don't think about it until after that.
OKWU: And what we're being told is that there's some 41 percent of shopping being done for the entire season this week. And you are certainly adding to that.
RATNER: I am.
OKWU: Are you planning on spending as much money as you did last year, with the economy looking... RATNER: Probably more.
OKWU: ... (UNINTELLIGIBLE)? You are? You actually plan it out?
RATNER: No. When you are buying last-minute gifts, you are just trying to make them good, so.
OKWU: Right. Now, what are some -- what are some of the really interesting gifts that you want to get for people?
RATNER: I have to get my dad a lot of DVDs. My mom wants slippers. She's asked for the same slippers for 15 years, so I have to go find the same slippers.
OKWU: Well, actually, DVDs are some of the things that retail analysts are telling us are very popular.
RATNER: Yes, easy gifts.
OKWU: Easy gifts. They're very -- being popularized everywhere, being promoted. What about coats and apparel and things like that?
RATNER: I've bought plenty for myself.
OKWU: Excellent.
RATNER: I haven't bought anyone clothes. I don't want them to have to return it.
OKWU: Rebecca Ratner, thank you very much for joining us.
RATNER: Thank you.
OKWU: She is actually pretty typical, somebody who hasn't really started a major part of her buying yet. In fact, retail analysts, Andrea, are telling us that consumers still have about 33 percent of their buying to do, and they have got to start doing it quickly. We expect that this mall is going to be overrun with people when it opens officially at about 10:00 this morning, Andrea.
KOPPEL: And how many gifts do you have left to buy, Michael?
RATNER: Andrea, I was afraid you were going to ask me something like that. I hope my parents are not up yet, or maybe doing the lawn or something. But the fact is, I haven't started buying anything. Not a thing.
KOPPEL: Not even for your new bride?
RATNER: Oh, my goodness. Yes, well, not even for her either, actually, Andrea. You're trying to make a black man blush on national television.
KOPPEL: Oh, my God.
OKWU: And you're succeeding. KOPPEL: Well, listen, I know when you get off from work, you're going to head right down to the jewelry district. Michael Okwu, thanks so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 20, 2003 - 09:41 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: Well, there are only five, count them, five days to go before Christmas. Are you one of the many still making a list and checking it twice? If you are, you are not alone. This weekend, the malls and stores might well be overrun with frantic last-minute shoppers.
And one of the busiest places just might be Herald Square in New York City. That's where our Michael Okwu is standing by with the latest. So Michael, are they just surrounding you, or has the mall not opened yet?
MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The mall is not quite open yet. We got here early, Andrea. But certainly outside in Herald Square, you can see people sort of busying themselves, ready to start laying down the plastic or putting down their hard-earned cash.
This mall not open yet, but some of the stores are beginning to open. And in fact, Rebecca Ratner -- is that right, Rebecca? -- is here trying to do her shopping. What we're being told, by the way, Andrea, is that lots of shoppers have not really started a major part of their shopping for the season yet.
And something tells me that Rebecca hasn't done that either.
REBECCA RATNER, SHOPPER: I have not.
OKWU: Because you were very embarrassed when we approached you.
RATNER: I am. I still have my mother, my father, and my grandmother to purchase gifts for.
OKWU: Why do you wait so late?
RATNER: Christmas came early this year -- late, early, I don't know, the whole holiday season was delayed because of Thanksgiving. I don't think about it until after that.
OKWU: And what we're being told is that there's some 41 percent of shopping being done for the entire season this week. And you are certainly adding to that.
RATNER: I am.
OKWU: Are you planning on spending as much money as you did last year, with the economy looking... RATNER: Probably more.
OKWU: ... (UNINTELLIGIBLE)? You are? You actually plan it out?
RATNER: No. When you are buying last-minute gifts, you are just trying to make them good, so.
OKWU: Right. Now, what are some -- what are some of the really interesting gifts that you want to get for people?
RATNER: I have to get my dad a lot of DVDs. My mom wants slippers. She's asked for the same slippers for 15 years, so I have to go find the same slippers.
OKWU: Well, actually, DVDs are some of the things that retail analysts are telling us are very popular.
RATNER: Yes, easy gifts.
OKWU: Easy gifts. They're very -- being popularized everywhere, being promoted. What about coats and apparel and things like that?
RATNER: I've bought plenty for myself.
OKWU: Excellent.
RATNER: I haven't bought anyone clothes. I don't want them to have to return it.
OKWU: Rebecca Ratner, thank you very much for joining us.
RATNER: Thank you.
OKWU: She is actually pretty typical, somebody who hasn't really started a major part of her buying yet. In fact, retail analysts, Andrea, are telling us that consumers still have about 33 percent of their buying to do, and they have got to start doing it quickly. We expect that this mall is going to be overrun with people when it opens officially at about 10:00 this morning, Andrea.
KOPPEL: And how many gifts do you have left to buy, Michael?
RATNER: Andrea, I was afraid you were going to ask me something like that. I hope my parents are not up yet, or maybe doing the lawn or something. But the fact is, I haven't started buying anything. Not a thing.
KOPPEL: Not even for your new bride?
RATNER: Oh, my goodness. Yes, well, not even for her either, actually, Andrea. You're trying to make a black man blush on national television.
KOPPEL: Oh, my God.
OKWU: And you're succeeding. KOPPEL: Well, listen, I know when you get off from work, you're going to head right down to the jewelry district. Michael Okwu, thanks so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
