"50 percent off!" "Buy one get one free!" "Stock up and save!" Back-to-school sales are in full swing, but that hasn't helped many retail outlets at the cash register.
On the Upper West Side, families are getting their kids outfitted with shoes, clothing and supplies in preparation for school starting next week. Many are shopping around the neighborhood, while others are heading out of Manhattan to one-stop shops such as Target and Wal-Mart and even going online.
"I buy about a third of their clothes online because I can't always drag them to the stores," said Helen Garey, a mother of two. "And I wait to see which places are having deals, like free shipping."
Across the country, back to school-generated revenues in August were down compared to last year at brick-and-mortar retailers. The Children's Place, for example, sales dropped 8 percent and Gap was down 3 percent. On a recent Thursday afternoon, business seemed to be humming along at Upper West Side storefronts for those retailers with a steady stream of parents and kids exiting with bags full of clothing and supplies. Of course, all those bags can get expensive.
"We hardly bought anything and it was over $100," said Debra de Simone outside the Staples on Broadway between 80th and 81st streets with her son, Jordan Boyce. "How do people afford this?"
De Simone said she doesn't think the sales this year are any better than last year. She has just enough time and money left for one more trip to Target in the Bronx.
Other thrifty moms, like Garey, said the best deals aren't in any neighborhood − they're online.
Not all stores are hurting, however. Old Navy, a popular destination for many bargain-seekers, saw sales rise 4 percent in August, compared to last year.
Even though Old Navy is just a subway ride away for Garey, she will sometimes skip the trip and head to the Web. The shipping costs on "the Internet is cheaper than even spending the subway fare."
