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GREENSBORO - It's the weekend before Christmas and all through the land, retailers are hoping for shoppers with carts in hand.

But this year, the country's economic woes have produced a mixed holiday report from retailers, both locally and nationwide.

The lucky ones, like Sue Buescher , are reporting sales higher than last year.

Buescher, the owner of Gotcha Covered at Friendly Center, credited her new location for part of her success.

"We're seeing quite a large increase in sales this year compared to last year," said Buescher, whose gift and novelty store had steady traffic during Friday's lunch rush. Last December, her store was in Burlington's Alamance Crossing.

But at Ten Thousand Villages, a nonprofit gift store off New Garden Road, the fortunes have been reversed.

"Our business will probably finish about 10 percent down from last holiday season," said store manager Joelle Nealy , a decline she attributes to the four fewer shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

"If we had those four days, we'd probably do the same as last year," she said.

Marc Holcomb , the operations manager of Toys & Co. at Friendly Center, said sales were flat compared to last year.

"We're real pleased," he said. And with Hanukkah falling just three days before Christmas this year, he's anticipating a final push of customers trying to beat the clock as the holiday season winds down.

Across the board, retailers have noticed ways customers are cutting back even if they aren't totally cutting out.

"We're not seeing people spend as much per person," Nealy said. "We're not having as many really big sales, with one person spending 400 or 500 dollars."

Instead, shoppers are chipping away at their lists with lower-priced items.

"Most people are looking for two $25 gift frames," said Mary Wasse , the owner of the downtown shop Mary Contrary. "They've all made limits on their spending. They're still spending, but they're saying it's not going to be a $100 gift this year."

But merchants have seen some bright spots, particularly online. Kit Rodenbough , owner of the vintage boutique Design Archives, has spent much of the free time over the past five months posting items online on Etsy.com .

"I wanted to be everywhere I could," she said.

The move is paying off, Rodenbough said, as shoppers look for convenience.

"It's a fear factor for people," she said. "If they go out they may see something and make an impulse buy. They don't do that online."

For consumers, this has been a season of discounts, with many stores already holding sales usually reserved for the week after Christmas, not the week before, in an effort to woo customers.

National women's apparel store New York & Co. has advertisements promoting 50 percent off everything. Bath and Body Works has a large sign signaling 400 gift choices for $10 or less.

Contact Lanita Withers at 373-7071 or lanita.withers @news-record.com