It’s Christmas in July… at K-Mart. Retailers are desperate to do anything to try to get people in the stores to make purchases. The last time I was in a K-Mart, a few weeks ago on a Saturday, you could have rolled a bowling ball down the aisles it was that empty. K-Mart isn’t the only store that is like that. Many stores are the same way.  Now in what some hail as an act of desperation, K-Mart will be having Christmas items on sale for several days ending on July 25.

 Retail sales are down more than 9% compared to June of 2008. Sears and K-Mart are offering Christmas merchandise on line and in stores.

“It looks more like desperation than inspiration,” says retail consultant Burt Flickinger III, managing director of Strategic Resources Group. “It may be a sign that Kmart’s spring and summer inventory is not selling through.”

Stores have to change to meet the demands of the marketplace. When stores like McDade and Service Merchandise faded, other retailers sold similar merchandise, but never took their places. K-Mart and Sears haven’t really been adding things to their product line, but rather taking things away. Many people like to do one stop shopping and they can do that at more retailers. Even some  Menard’s offer food items at competitive prices to Walmart and grocery stores.

Getting a jump start on Christmas shopping or shopping out of season is not something I am opposed to, just seeing displays five months early is what makes it seem like the stores are desperate to get money.