Short Holiday Shopping Season Causes Retailers to Start Deals Early

Woman enjoying sales.

Woman enjoying sales.

Two months ago, we were enjoying the summer. It’s not even Halloween yet, let alone Thanksgiving, so I know the last thing you want to discuss is the oncoming Christmas season. However, although you might be aware of retailers setting out holiday decorations weeks earlier than necessary, you might not be mindful of the fact that there are six fewer days on the calendar between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year.

Happy Holidays

This shortage of holiday shopping between the two major holidays might not be all bad, however. Multiple retailers have already taken to giving out holiday shipping and Christmas deals earlier than ever before- which, let’s face it, makes shopping for gifts a whole lot easier.

Already this week, retailers have been decorating their websites with holiday joy, stating when the deadline is to order that gift in order to get it for Christmas, and offering free next-day shipping on almost all of their products.

Walmart is advertising their holiday deals “earlier than ever,” according to their website [1], and they aren’t joking, this Friday at midnight, Walmart will be launching its holiday savings on their website, allowing customers to “get a jumpstart on their holiday shopping.”

If you’re shopping online, Walmart will be offering free, next-day delivery on many of their products- no membership fee required. And if you’re shopping in-store, Walmart has made “Check out With Me” available in all their Supercenters, allowing customers to avoid lines and checkout with an employee wherever they are in the store.

Shopping Sales

In a recent study, it was found that a good deal matters more than anything when it comes to getting a customer to buy a product.

Over 80 percent of people said that sales and promotions influenced their decisions when shopping during the holiday season. Free shipping is also one of the main attractions for buyers rather than fast shipping, with 85 percent of people saying they would rather have free shipping and only 15 percent saying they preferred fast shipping while holiday shopping. [2]

So although it may feel like Christmas is in stores earlier than normal (and you might be right), because of the fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, you’re technically not experiencing more Christmas than usual.

 


Notes:

  1. ^The Holidays Officially Begin at Walmart; Retailer Announces Plans to Help Customers Get an Early Start on Holiday Shopping.” Corporate – US, 23 Oct. 2019, corporate.walmart.com/newsroom/2019/10/23/the-holidays-officially-begin-at-walmart-retailer-announces-plans-to-help-customers-get-an-early-start-on-holiday-shopping. (go back  ↩)
  2. ^Thomas, Lauren. “The new normal: Cyber Monday is exciting deal-hungry shoppers more than Black Friday this holiday season.” CNBC, 22 Oct. 2019, www.cnbc.com/2019/10/22/cyber-monday-to-excite-holiday-shoppers-more-than-black-friday.html. (go back  ↩)

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