As the year 2012 comes to an end we are all worrying about what 2013 will bring. Big and small businesses are being affected by the economic crisis, and US retailers have reported the weakest sales since 2008. These low sales rates are partially due to the lack of confidence within consumers in regards to the country’s economy. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that consumer’s confidence has reached its lowest point in December since the month of July. While foot traffic remains the same, chief research analyst Marshal Cohen of NPD Inc. has stated that customers are spending less than they did last year during the holiday season. Many shoppers and average citizens are worried about the chances that January 1st will bring new high taxes if Congress and the White House cannot resolve their issues to come up with a substantial budget plan to get us away from the “fiscal cliff”.
So what is a small business to do? Many retailers have expanded their hours and offered a great amount of discounts on most or all their merchandise. While Black Friday was a success with sales rising 2.7 percent, sales later fell back down by 43 percent and has not gone up. The weekend before Christmas, which usually constitutes a major hike in consumer sales, remained at a low. Many businesses have not been able to make up the money they lost in the recent months. This is especially true in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic which usually makes up about 24 percent of the sales nationwide. This region is still trying to come back from the recent superstorm Sandy disrupting many businesses and all labor for weeks.
This has resulted in many small businesses closing their doors, and this should not be the case! The are many options available for small businesses, including small business loans and business cash advance to keep your business afloat during these hard times. Stay focused and we will all come out of this dark side! Business Credit & Capital is here to help you see the light at the end of the tunnel. As a small business, we know that it is hard, we feel it too, but we are here to help get you the funds you need to stay open!
http://online.wsj.com/article/APf298facd7a24428092373c8c07b8f287.html