As voting season ends, Americans now have something else on their minds: the holiday spending season. This time of year has retailers prepping and shoppers planning.
Stores have been displaying their holiday items for months waiting for the big shopping days. On the other hand, consumers are watching out for good deals before they leave the house. Understanding retail tactics and knowing what to look for is crucial to an effective holiday shopping trip.
The “holiday creep”
Shoppers may notice holiday products and decorations in sight a month or two before the festivities officially begin. That is not abnormal to see because of what is known as the “holiday creep” or “Christmas creep.”
According to Megan Cerullo from CBS News MoneyWatch, “‘Holiday creep,’ the term for when retailers start selling holiday-themed items before the traditional start of the season, is a phenomenon that’s been at play for years, as retailers try to get a jump-start on sales.”
Target, Walmart and TJ Maxx are notable shops that do this. Some NCC students like Alissa Madalinski, ‘25, experienced this first-hand by working at a retail chain giant. “We put up our Christmas stuff directly after Halloween,” Madalinski, ‘25, said.
However, physical stores are not the only ones playing into this strategy. Online retailers are rolling out early deals for customers to start their shopping as soon as possible. Amazon recently had their Prime Big Deal Days sale which happened this year on Oct. 8 and Oct. 9.
“There’s typically more emphasis on gift giving during Prime Big Deal Days since October is when people start thinking about holiday shopping,” NBC Select’s Zoe Malin said. “[It] also serves as a kickoff for early Black Friday sales.”
Buying smart
Understanding how to save beyond shopping during deals and using coupons can relieve some monetary stress. Moreover, buying smart includes planning in advance which can make for a successful shopping trip.
Nerdwallet’s lead writer Amanda Barroso suggested making a budget for categories such as food, presents, decorations and clothes to avoid overspending.
Yet, gifts make up the majority of shopping lists which can become pricey. Mary Droesch, head of consumer and small business products at Bank of America, shared some advice with NBC Select.
“Make a list of your anticipated expenses and assign a dollar amount to each. If you’re able, get granular with your list, including what gifts you plan to buy and for whom,” Droesch said.
NCC student Lorena Perea, ‘25, is using this idea to make gift giving easy on herself. “I have a budget for myself and I have been doing research beforehand,” Perea, ‘25, said. “I’m doing this because I’m buying presents for my parents, boyfriend, cousins and cat.”
Shopping early
As mentioned before, a number of stores put up their holiday displays months before the winter celebrations begin. Some consumers might not mind this because they like shopping early.
“Everyone always asks, ‘Why is Christmas out so early?’” Madalinski, ‘25, said. “And it’s because we do have a lot of early shoppers who are looking for stuff. The other day I had somebody ask me where the Christmas cards were.”
The holiday season sees a rise in long lines and a stock decrease, especially when it gets close to December. However, retailers may already be facing out-of-stock items early in the shopping season.
“People are coming from different stores just because we have specific Christmas items that other locations don’t,” Madalinski, ‘25, said.
Although the gifting holidays are more than a month away, experts advise not to procrastinate on shopping. Along with out of stock items in stores, Donna Fuscaldo, personal finance and health writer for AARP, mentioned that shopping online can come with the desired presents not arriving on time. Additionally, expedited shipping will need to be paid if the consumer needs the products by a certain deadline.
Key takeaways
With retailers trying to get consumers to spend, it’s important to have a plan before adding anything to the cart. Finding what works can seem intimidating, but taking some time to do research can go a long way during the holiday spending season. Buying during late November and early to mid-December might feel different than any other time of the year. However, these tips can save on money and make for good shopping habits for the future.
