Just as the post Labor Day sales bump was delayed due to the 9/11-anniversary when folks felt commerce might be crass, it appears that the pre-Thanksgiving sales slump is early this year for many online content and book sellers due to the recession. Last year we saw sales booming around this week, this year we and some other sellers I've contacted have seen a decline.

My theory is that business execs are going home early, taking the week off to get some rest in, while consumers are holding their cash until it's absolutely time to buy holiday gifts. Last year I think folks felt if you could try a little harder we could beat this recession thing. So they stayed at work right up to the holiday, and they bought stuff they might not need. This year I think everyone's settled in for a long, stagnant economy. They are pacing themselves, not working in such a frenzy, not buying extras. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

I'm even seeing it in site traffic and email load. Looking at my inbox alone, nobody is at work right now. Given that most consumers buy online from work connections, that may spill over to hurt other online sellers as well.