Now this is some good , counter-intuitive (nigh upon Mickey Kausian) thinking (via Instapundit)
One thing I’ve noticed over the years is that if Wal-Mart does poorly on the day after Thanksgiving sales, it’s going to be a boom Christmas. The reverse is also true: when sales are up at Wal-Mart, it’s a bad sign for the economy.
Why is that? Well, simply put: No-one likes to shop at Wal-Mart unless they have to. It’s always crowded, the checkout lines are understaffed, the place is dirty, the parking lot is a mess . . . My discount retailer of choice is Target because it’s clean, the aisles are wider, and I can rush in and out quickly if I need just a couple things.
I have no idea if it’s actually true, but sounds pretty plausible.