Dec 23, 2007

Men fill the ranks of last-minute shoppersBy Jennifer DaviesSignOnSanDiego.com

Robert Anderson is a textbook example of a last-minute shopper.

First off, he’s a guy. Second, he thrives on imminent deadlines. Third, said the Fletcher Hills resident, the holidays always sneak up on him.

“I don’t even know Christmas is here until it’s really here,” he said.

Still, Anderson shrugged off the stress of finding gifts on such a tight schedule as he walked through Westfield University Towne Centre yesterday.

“I have an attention span issue. After an hour or an hour-and-a-half, I’ll blow it off and get a gift card and I’m done,” said the 51-year-old consultant.

Anderson had plenty of company this year, as more and more people – and not just guys – wait until the final weekend to do their Christmas shopping, said Michael Niemara, chief economist for the International Council of Shopping Centers.

This year, the combination of an early Thanksgiving, a Christmas close to the weekend and the increasing popularity of gift cards has made procrastinating especially de rigueur for a huge swath of the population.

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