Retailers Feel The Heat As Warm Weather Chills Holiday Season Shoppers

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- The recent warm weather is melting away the hopes of some retailers, as shoppers shy away from more traditional cold-weather purchases.

Stores remain saddled with racks of coats at winter clothes -- the biggest engines of the crucial holiday retail season.

"It's so warm outside, we don't know what to wear -- feels like a cool spring day," Valerie Boyd, of Hempstead, told CBS2's Jennifer McLogan. "Shoes instead of boots, regular pants instead of snow pants or winter pants."

With ski and snowboard enthusiasm less than stellar, Neil Kornblatt's Sno Haus, of Long Island, is offering a special deal this week to keep traffic coming.

"We are going to give a warm weather discount for anybody," Kornblatt said.

Malls are making up for any winter buying blues with Yuletide promotions to build foot traffic at stores.

"Lagging because of the weather, and the fact that the retailers have anticipated that the consumers were going to be in a much better frame of mind," Dr. Joel Evans, of the Hofstra School of Business, said. "Still fearful about the economy and with some of the world events going on, they're not thinking as much about shopping."

Retailers said they hope they will meet their sales goals as weather is expected to get colder through the winter.