The economy and retail sales are on the rebound, but the signs suggest that it will be an uneven rebound.

It gets people out of their homes and closer to stores. You would think it would boost sales.

One of the big concerns is that businesses will start to gear up too quickly in anticipation of a rebound in demand or even the rebound we've already seen. But if the demand is temporary, then they will be stuck with too many goods on their shelves, so there's reason to be cautious in coming months.

There is more of a risk this season that people will be less able to make payments on these offers.

Consumer spending has kept the economy moving, and when initial holiday sales were better than expected, financial markets reacted with enthusiasm. It was this potential pick-up in the economy that caused interest rates, including mortgage rates, to drift upwards this week.

Clothing really isn't at the top of the list this year.