Just months after the Camarillo Premium Outlets unveiled its massive expansion, the retail center will be put to the ultimate test, facing one of the most challenging holiday shopping seasons in recent history.

In response to the downturn, price-conscious consumers have adopted new shopping strategies to help them wring every last cent from their hard-earned dollars. Retailers, in turn, are stepping up their marketing campaigns and doing everything in their power to bring customers through their doors.

Reports from organizations such as the National Retail Federation show that consumers are delaying their shopping plans and making more online purchases — a combination that could cripple holiday sales.

“Recessions create savvier shoppers,” said Michele Rothstein, senior vice president of marketing for Chelsea Premium Outlets, which owns the Camarillo Premium Outlets. “It is a time when people do not just like a good deal — many need one.”

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