Christmas '82: On Sale Now

Christmas '82: On Sale Now But customers are cautious as they play a waiting game with U.S. retailers

SALE. The word was everywhere last week in recession-weary, unemployment-plagued, pre-Christmas America. It stood alone or with exclamation marks in all its variations: reduced, discounted, cut, specially priced and slashed.

The word flanked department-and specialty-store aisles from Maine to California. It paraded through chic boutiques in Manhattan and Beverly Hills' Rodeo Drive. It marched through newspaper advertising and charged into glossy supplements. On television, it assaulted millions of viewers.

It was on almost everything, from...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!