ALBANY, N.Y. -- Susan Taylor has been keeping busy this holiday season at The Book House in Stuyvesant Plaza - but not as busy as she would have liked.

"We are kind of undergoing the trifecta here," she said. "We are under renovation, the weather has been terrible, and the economy is kind of in the toilet."

And the latest report out by the Retail Council of New York echoes Taylor's frustrations. The poll gauged retailers' perceptions of sales since Black Friday weekend. The bad weather that hit much of eastern New York and people unwilling to spend contributed to the results.

Rebecca Marion Flach of the Retail Council of New York said, "Consumers are in the driver's seat. Retailers have to sit back and do the best they can to present the best merchandise and best sales and hope people come in to do some shopping."

It seems stores are counting on those last-minute Christmas shoppers to make up for a less-than-stellar holiday shopping season.

"Sales are still not where we would want them to be," said Taylor. "They are not equal to last year, but given the bad economy and bad weather, we are doing reasonably well."

Flach said, "An indication of what's going on with the economy, an indication of the shorter holiday season, we are five days shorter between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and we feel that people are feeling that pinch."

More than 200 merchants were polled throughout New York State. Both big box stores and mom and pop shops were included.

Taylor is banking on those people looking to finish their shopping to be out in full force in the coming days.