<blockquote>How did we get these numbers, which almost by definition are wrong? It is a combination of a retail trade group that cares little for accurate economic data, a terrible survey methodology and a naive and lazy news media, which seems to believe its role is to mindlessly repeat whatever nonsense is peddled by the aforementioned trade group.</blockquote>
via <a href="http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-12-01/black-fridays-guesswork-gloom">Black Friday's Guesswork Gloom - Bloomberg View</a>.