The 2008 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch for the National Retail Federation, shows that 40 percent of the 8,117 consumers surveyed said sales/promotions were the largest factor when determining where to shop this holiday season. The competition is already fierce.

Our e-mail box has been inundated with offers from all sorts of retailers. The Lord & Taylor and Kohl's blasts, pictured above, are two examples.

Ann Taylor Stores sends almost daily e-mail blasts. The chain has also exploded their advertising efforts to attract customers. In addition to ads in fashion magazines, Ann Taylor is also advertising in Perez Hilton's blog. This is one smart move: www.perezhilton.com gets millions of hits a week. It's THE site to check for all things celebrity and pop culture news. We (okay, Georganne) reads what Perez has to say every day.

The majority of these offers feature a percentage off, or specific dollar amount off, of the item of your choice. These days in particular, shoppers are looking to save money, and we all know that customers enjoy choosing which items are on sale.

There should be a "Create Your Own Coupon Sale" in your very near future -- and possibly several times this holiday season. Drop us an e-mail and we'll send you templates and how-to instructions: info@kizerandbender.com