Santa pumps the brakes: 5 things to watch for this holiday season
Santa pumps the brakes: 5 things to watch for this holiday season
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Santa pumps the brakes: 5 things to watch for this holiday season

Samantha Christmann 🕒︎ 2025-11-11

Copyright buffalonews

Santa pumps the brakes: 5 things to watch for this holiday season

Retailers and shoppers alike are entering the holiday season with a mix of hope and dread this year. kAmp7E6C >@?E9D @7 F?6G6? 4@?DF>6C DA6?5:?8 2?5 D9:7E:?8 64@?@>:4 D:8?2=D[ E96 ?6IE EH@ >@?E9D H:== E6DE ;FDE 9@H C6D:=:6?E 4@?DF>6CD 2?5 C6E2:=6CD C62==J 2C6]k^Am kAm%96 D62D@? :D 36:?8 4@>A=:42E65 3J E2C:77D @? :>A@CE65 AC@5F4ED 2?5 >2E6C:2=D E92E AFD9 4@DED 9:896C 7@C 3@E9 D9@AA6CD 7:==:?8 DE@46C492?ED 7:==:?8 H2C69@FD6D]k^Am kAmp 7=FCCJ @7 64@?@>:4 724E@CD – :?4=F5:?8 E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E D9FE5@H? – 2C6 AFEE:?8 E96 DBF66K6 @? D@>6 2=C625J >6286C 3F586ED[ 7@C4:?8 >2?J 72>:=:6D E@ >226 H:== @AE @FE @7 r9C:DE>2D D9@AA:?8 2=E@86E96C[ H9:=6 >2?J >@C6 H:== D62C49 @FE 32C82:?D – 32C82:?D E92E 2?2=JDED D2J H:== ?@E 36 ?62C=J 2D 8@@5 2D E96J H6C6 :? J62CD A2DE]k^Am kAm|62?H9:=6[ $2?E2 :D @FED@FC4:?8 D@>6 H@C6CD E9:D J62C D2:5 E96J’C6 6?=:DE:?8 E96 96=A @7 px E@ >22D =:DED]k^Am kAm~? 2G6C286[ D9@AA6CD A=2? E@ DA6?5 23@FE Sgh_ A6C A6CD@? @? 8:7ED[ 7@@5[ 564@C2E:@?D 2?5 @E96C D62D@?2= :E6>D[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 }2E:@?2= #6E2:= u656C2E:@?’D 2??F2= 4@?DF>6C DFCG6J] %92E’D =6DD E92? =2DE J62C[ 3FE DE:== E96 D64@?5\9:896DE 2>@F?E @? C64@C5] |@DE 7@C642DED 42== 7@C D2=6D E@ 8C@H[ 3FE 2E 2 D=@H6C C2E6 E92? :? C646?E J62CD]k^Am kAm“%:>6 2?5 282:?[ p>6C:42?D AC:@C:E:K6 DA6?5:?8 @? =@G65 @?6D 7@C 9@=:52JD 56DA:E6 64@?@>:4 F?46CE2:?EJ[” D2:5 z2E96C:?6 rF==6?[ }#u G:46 AC6D:56?E @7 :?5FDECJ 2?5 4@?DF>6C :?D:89ED]k^Am The corridors teem with shoppers on the hunt for Black Friday deals at the Walden Galleria in Cheektowaga in 2024. Libby March, News file photo kAmkDEC@?8m%2C:77D FA6?5 6G6CJE9:?8k^DEC@?8mk^Am An Amherst mom solved a problem. Now her products are in nearly 300 Target stores Kulture Khazana is a case study in how a local small business can adapt to changing consumer cycles and still catch they eye of a retail giant and gain far broader exposure. kAm%9@F89 E2C:77D 2D]k^Am kAmr@>A2?:6D 3F:=E FA :?G6?E@CJ 29625 @7 E96 E2C:77D 2?5 EC:65 E@ 23D@C3 9:896C 4@DED H:E9 D=:>>6C AC@7:E >2C8:?D] qFE E9@D6 9:896C AC:46D 2C6 ?@H DE2CE:?8 E@ 4@>6 E9C@F89 2D 4@>A2?:6D 368:? A2DD:?8 E96 AC:46 :?4C62D6D @? E@ E96:C 4FDE@>6CD] %2C:77D 2C6 49:AA:?8 2H2J 2E 4@?DF>6C 4@?7:56?46[ H9:49 @7E6? D:8?2=D 2 AF==324J :E6>D H9:49 H6C6 8@:?8 E@ D6== @FE[” D2:5 p6 4@>A2?J zF=EFC6 z92K2?2] “pD 2 C6DF=E[ x 925 E@ 564=:?6 E6?D @7 E9@FD2?5D @7 5@==2CD H@CE9 @7 AFC492D6 @C56CD]”k^Am kAmq232C:2 23D@C365 E96 E2C:77D[ H9:49 D9C2?2C8:?D]k^Am kAm“%96C6 :D F?46CE2:?EJ :? 7@C642DE:?8[ 4@DE:?8[ A:E49:?8 2?5 @G6C2== AC:4:?8 2D E96 E2C:77D 492?86 @? 2 >@?E9=J 32D:D[” D96 D2:5]k^Am Black Friday shoppers pass holiday decorations outside Bath & Body Works on Niagara Falls Boulevard in Amherst. Black Friday doesn’t arrive until Nov. 28 this year. The late date could be bad news for retailers, because the earlier consumers start shopping, the more they spend. Derek Gee, News file photo kAmkDEC@?8m$9@CE6C D9@AA:?8 =:DED k^DEC@?8mxE’D 8@:?8 E@ 36 2 E@F89 r9C:DE>2D 7@C >2?J A6@A=6 :? (6DE6C? }6H *@C6CD 2C6 766=:?8 E96 A2:? 42FD65 3J E2C:77D[ :?7=2E:@?[ =2J@77D 2?5 :?E6CCFAE65 $}p! 36?67:ED[ 2?5 H:== 36 7@C465 E@ >26 5:77:4F=E 564:D:@?D 23@FE E96:C 9@=:52J 3F586ED]k^Am kAm|2?J D9@AA6CD A=2? E@ 4FE 3246 3J 49@:46[ D@>6 3J ?646DD:EJ] |2?J H:== C6=J @? 4@>>F?:EJ AC@8C2>D E@ 7:== E96 82A @C H:== 492?86 E96 7@4FD @7 E96 9@=:52JD E@ 46=63C2E6 @E96C H:?E6C EC25:E:@?D 2?5 C6=:8:@FD AC24E:46D E92E C6=J =6DD @? 8:7E:?8 @C D9@AA:?8]k^Am kAm~7 4@FCD6[ 9@H >F49 4@?DF>6CD A=2? E@ DA6?5 E6?5D E@ 4@:?4:56 H:E9 E96:C :?4@>6 3C246D DA6?5:?8 >@C6[ 244@C5:?8 E@ DA6?5:?8 DFCG6JD E92E =@@@8C2A9:4 52E2]k^Am kAm“r@?DF>6CD 2C6 42FE:@FD 2?5 724:?8 7:?2?4:2= AC6DDFC6[ 3FE E96J 2C6 2=D@ 766=:?8 E96 =:7E 7C@> 9:896C H286D 2?5 2 DEC@?8 DE@42C2?286>6?E 4@?DF=E:?8 7:C> q2:? U2>Aj r@][ :? 2 C6A@CE] k^Am Early morning shoppers looking for Black Friday deals pass holiday decorations in the Target Plaza on Niagara Falls Boulevard in Amherst. Derek Gee, News file photo k9amq2C82:? 9F?E:?8 92C56Ck^9am kAm#6E2:=6CD 92G6 E96:C H@C E9:D J62C] yFDE 2D E96J’C6 36:?8 2D E2C:77D[ 4@?DF>6CD 2C6 =2D6C\7@4FD65 @? 32C82:?D]k^Am kAmqFE @776C:?8 C62= 32C82:?D :? E96 4FCC6?E 64@?@>:4 4=:>2E6 H:== 36 2 492==6?86] #6E2:=6CD 962G:=J DEC2E68:K65 2D 36DE 2D E96J 4@F=5 29625 @7 E96 D62D@?[ 49@@D:?8 H92E E96J’== AFD9 2?5 762EFC6] qFE 4@?DF>6CD 2C6 49@@D:6C E92? 6G6C[ 2?5 H96? 7@C465 E@ >26CD 2C6 =:2==6C 5:D4@F?ED[ E9:??6C :?G6?E@CJ[ =6DD G2C:6EJ 2?5 9:896C AC:46D]k^Am kAm“w@=:52J DA6?5:?8 H:== 8C@H :? a_ad[ 3FE 8C@HE9 9:?86D @? 32=2?4:?8 >62?:?87F= 5:D4@F?ED H:E9 2 42C67F= 2AAC@249 E@ 7=2D9 D2=6D[” D2:5 $9:6C 2?5 C6E2:= 7@C }@CE9 p>6C:42 2E 4@?DF=E:?8 7:C> $:>@?\zF496C[ :? :ED w@=:52J $9@AA:?8 #6A@CE]k^Am kAmkDEC@?8m$2?E2 86ED 96=A 7C@> pxk^DEC@?8mk^Am Tariffs and higher prices could make holiday shopping harder for consumers this year. Libby March / Buffalo News kAms6DA:E6 E96 6?6C8J 2?5 H2E6C 4@?46C?D 2DD@4:2E65 H:E9 86?6C2E:G6 2CE:7:4:2= :?E6==:86?46[ 4@?DF>6CD 2C6 FD:?8 :E H:E9 232?5@?] %96J’C6 2=D@ 6?=:DE:?8 :ED 96=A E@ >22D =:DED]k^Am kAm|@C6 E92? 92=7 @7 D9@AA6CD DFCG6J65 7@C E96 $:>@?\zF496C C6A@CE D2:5 E96J H:== 4@?DF=E px H96? 49@@D:?8 8:7ED] xE’D D64@?5 @?=J E@ 2D2D]k^Am kAm!6@A=6 2C6 2=D@ FD:?8 px E@ 49642C:K6 AC@5F4E C6G:6HD E@ >26C D6CG:46 3@ED 2?5 FD:?8 px E@ >2 r9C:DE>2D 42C5D]k^Am kAmu@C E9@D6 H9@ H:== @AE @FE @7 FD:?8 px[ E96 3:886DE C62D@? :D 3642FD6 E96 4@?DF>6C AC676CD E@ A6CD@?2=:K6 E96 D9@AA:?8 6IA6C:6?46[ 7@==@H65 3J >@C6 E92? 2 BF2CE6C H9@ D2:5 E96J 5@?’E ECFDE px] ~E96C C62D@?D 7@C @AE:?8 @FE :?4=F565 E9:?:89E 36 3C2?5 DA@?D@C65 @C @E96CH:D6 3:2D65]k^Am kAmpx FD6 :D 9:896DE 2>@?8 >:==6??:2=D 2?5 =@H6DE 2>@?8 323J 3@@>6CD]k^Am kAm“px :D 364@>:?8 2 >2:?DEC62> D9@AA:?8 E@@=[ 3FE ECFDE :DDF6D >62? >2?J 4@?DF>6CD DE:== AC676C E@ 6C 2?5 C6E2:= }@CE9 p>6C:42 7@C $:>@?\zF496C[ :? E96 C6A@CE]k^Am kAmkDEC@?8m$2=6D DE2CE 62C=:6Ck^DEC@?8m *@F 92G6 E@ 36 G6CJ DA64:7:4 H96? J@F E2=< 23@FE q=2462?:?8]k^Am kAmqFE E96 C62= q=24@C6 E96J H:== DA6?5]k^Am kAm%9:D J62C[ E96 6G6?E :ED6=7 H:== 36 @?6 @7 E96 =2E6DE H6’G6 925 :? 2 H9:=6[ 3FE C6E2:=6C >2C<6E:?8 H:== 5@ :ED 36DE E@ @3D4FC6 E92E 724E] |2?J C6E2:=6CD 92G6 2=C625J C@==65 @FE E96 9@=:52J 9@@A=2 2?5 H:== 362E F?E:= s64] ac E@ :?5]k^Am The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Samantha Christmann News Business Reporter Author facebook Author twitter Author email Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

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