LI retailers prepare for shopping surge this week

Frenzied and harried, the procrastinators are back -- breaking the holiday shopping lull this past weekend as Long Island retailers welcome them with open arms.

"This week is going to be the telltale week because a majority of [holiday] business is this week," said Alison Flodin, co-owner of the Sayville shop Silica, which sells handcrafted jewelry. "This [past] Saturday we did three times the amount of volume and three times the dollar amount as we did last year."

The holiday shopping season is in the homestretch, and retailers and analysts say that this final surge in shopping should help merchants notch a better holiday season than last year. Many local independent retailers said they expect holiday revenue to be about the same as last year, with the main difference being tighter inventories.

Yet, even while they have stocked items conservatively, there are still sales to be had, merchants and analysts said.

"What you're getting today becomes Last Minute Larry time ... and, come Friday, it becomes mayhem," said Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst for The NPD Group, a Port Washington market research firm. "Seven percent of shoppers don't start until Friday."

Retailers are continuing to strategically offer promotions to lure last-minute shoppers.

"I am seeing the sales and the promotions in the stores still," said Kathleen Herrmann, area director of marketing at Roosevelt Field and the Mall at The Source in Westbury.

So far, apparel, including tops and skirts, and unique stocking stuffers like hair pins, hair ties, earrings and necklaces made by independent jewelry designers, have been selling well at Milk & Honey's boutiques in Rockville Centre and Huntington, said owner Christina Essabba. This week, she decided to offer a 30-percent discount off menswear, women's coats, and select women's sweaters and skirts to entice last-minute customers.

"I want to see if it makes a difference for Christmas and see if they're buying quantity because they are getting that discount," Essabba said.

Robert Yeganeh, owner of local shoe chain Love My Shoes, also experimented with different promotions. This week, the chain is offering 30 percent off in stores and 25 percent off online, with free shipping on orders of $50 or more.

Tight inventories has been a common theme among retailers, but many small merchants said they also ordered items much later than usual.

Michael Wikan, co-owner of Sayville's Sweet Gourmet, said he ordered half of his holiday Godiva inventory in July and the other half came in the first week of December because he waited to see how people were shopping this year. So far, his treats are selling well.

Kerry Punzi, owner of The Cook's Fancy in Rockville Centre, also purchased some of her inventory later this year. This week her holiday business has picked up significantly, thanks to last-minute shoppers.

"Some of them, I am telling you, will take anything," she said. "They just want to have something for people to open."