I agree with all that's been said, and would add that it's also a way to get people shopping early for Christmas gifts. In smaller family-sized businesses, the pre-Christmas time can be HELL, and a tiny glitch at the last minute (a sick employee that doesn't come to work for a few days) can turn into a big nightmare. Perhaps they're trying to get people to buy NOW, even if at less of a profit for them, than later...