Prospects dim for holiday lights

If you have yet to deck your halls for the holidays, time is running out.

Stores, which this year have been pressed by economic forces to slash inventory levels, simply have less stuff to sell. That means that if you're in the market for Christmas lights, garland or tree stands, supplies are definitely dwindling.

At area hardware and home improvement stores, most have reached the point where all of the remaining inventory is on the shelf, and many items are already sold out.

"We've been hearing for a couple of weeks that we're the only ones who have stock and now our stock is running low," said Craig Ward, who owns Ace Hardware stores in Cary, Chapel Hill and Raleigh.

Last year, companies were stuck with large amounts of lights, wreaths and other products after a holiday season in which shoppers simply did not buy. This year, retailers could not afford the same mistake.

"Retailers have conditioned us that it's OK to procrastinate," said National Retail Federation spokeswoman Kathy Grannis. "This year is entirely different. The average consumer is really starting to see what retailers meant when they said, 'We've got to cut back inventory.'"

Other areas where shoppers are starting to notice shortages: small electronics and bargain DVDs.

"The discounted items and inexpensive gift items really do go first," Grannis said. "It's never been this way. It's never had to be this way."

Many retailers made an effort to stock smarter, eliminating the inflatable lawn decorations and going for traditional items such as holiday lights.

"We kind of focused it down to what we know sells and what people are wanting," said Joe Verdicchio, area district manager for HomeDepot. "In years before we had a lot more yard decor and things customers didn't really buy until they went on clearance. [This year] it's a more pointed product selection."

Strings of lights

But even traditional staples like white Christmas lights are now going fast.

"I went to go buy 100 setminilights, and I couldn't find any of our stores that had them," Verdicchio said. "I felt bad, but I had to go to another store."

Most items will not be restocked, and many stores are already consolidating their holiday decorations into a smaller space to make way for new non-holiday merchandise.

At Target stores, the remaining holiday items went on sale at 30 percent off on Sunday.

"We sold a lot over the weekend, and everything we own is out there," said Norm Green, manager of the Target at Poyner Place in North Raleigh.

Silver lining

For those who are able to keep restocking holiday merchandise, it could be a boon for business. The number of eager shoppers has not diminished so far, they say.

"We got in 200 boxes on Wednesday, and on Friday morning they were gone," said Bob King, who owns the Ace Hardware in Raleigh's Seaboard Station. "I'm getting 288 boxes this Wednesday. I don't know how long that stream will last, but I'm hoping it will last through Wednesday."