"We just feel that the risk/reward ratio given the performance of 2006 is best served by buying very tightly," CEO Peter Edison said yesterday in a conference call. "It is a strategy that might leave some profits on the table, but is more likely to assure at least an acceptable level of profitability."

Bakers will invest in product, he says, but will monitor fashion changes and nimbly respond to evolving colors, styles and materials. The mall-based retailer caters to men 18 to 28 and women 16 to 35, offering a lineup of shoes and accessories that can go out of vogue at a moment's notice and require huge markdowns to move. It is a scenario Bakers does not want to face again, says Edison, as it did when the winds of whimsy swept over the boot department last November.

"Our goals include increasing regular priced sales by anticipating and reacting to the trends and styles desired by our customers," says Edison. The reins will be especially tight on seasonal fare, which can vary greatly in popularity depending on the weather, Edison relayed.