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Retailers Think Christmas ’09 Might Be Better

Posted by The Merchant in Christmas Marketplace

Life isn’t exactly peachy in the world of retail but Christmas 2009 looks far less dismal than 2008. Consumers will be able to find bargains — and retailers themselves may just be a little busier.

Eastman Kodak today said in talking with their biggest customers orders look good for the Christmas season.

Chief Executive Antonio Perez said retailers the company deals with “believe Christmas will be much better than last Christmas.”

Kodak, like many other makers of consumer electronics, last year saw fourth-quarter sales fall 25% to 30% from the prior year. Mr. Perez, speaking to Wall Street Journal editors in New York, didn’t give a specific forecast.

He said retailers have been telling Kodak that they think the just completed second quarter “is the bottom” for the economic downturn. “We all expect the third quarter will be a little better,” he added.

Meanwhile, some retailers just can’t wait to get into the Christmas spirit. Kmart launched their Christmas Lane products this week online, complete with glitzy flash animation that will make you want to run out and build a snowman.

In other news from the world of “what you could be buying for Christmas 2009″ consider a new feature in cell phones to be called “projector phones“. Instead of watching video on a tiny handheld screen you could project that video on a wall for larger viewing — and it could be under your tree this year.