I was just in a local mall-I could not believe it…they are putting up the Christmas trees! Isn’t this just a tad ridiculous? I mean, It’s not even October, and they are advertising a holiday that doesn’t take place till December 25th! I can understand that they had a bad year last year, and they need the sales…but come on, this doesn’t make sense to me.
I don’t even have my Halloween tree up yet! But this reasoning, we should have the Easter stuff in by mid-December!
Money. Pure and simple. I worked in a store that did stuff like that–and it was a Home Office choice, not a store choice. If it was up to retailers, Christmas would be all year round.
Beat competitors.
In the U.S., a good percentage of retail establishments make a huge portion of their annual income in the Thanksgiving-Christmas season (I’ve heard 30-50 percent or more, sometimes). If the oeconomy is bad enough, maybe they’re desperately hoping they can get things going early to get the benefit of a longer holiday shopping season.
Stores would not give up that large and valuable a piece of their floor space if customers didn’t make it worth their while. Personally, I can wait for after Thanksgiving (or later) but my sister shops for Christmas year-round.
The hope is that if they can get you to start shopping early, you will buy more.
EX. Halloween candy has been in the stores since the middle of September. I got shopping in September and remember to buy a couple of bags. 3 or 4 weeks later it’s already eaten or I forget about it and buy more.
Christmas - I think “HEY, this year I will buy all my presents early, and then actually enjoy the Christmas season, rather than spending it shopping”. Come November, I don’t remember that I have already spent all I planned to buying gifts, and decided to get just on more gift for little Freddy.
It took a christmas tree to get your attention? Haven’t you seen the more subtle (like an anvil) ads on TV? Since when (since last xmas) have you seen ads for childrens’ toys during prime time shows? These have been running for at least two weeks now and it irritates the crap out of me. They don’t actually come out and say the “C” word, but no maker of kid crap is going to normally advertise during adult TV.
Sorry, no cite, but I’ve heard some of the highly experienced execs. in retail say it can be as much as 75%!
In fact, Sam the Record Man, (A defunct record chain here in Canada) lived on the edge of bankruptcy for years. They managed to coast out the year on their Christmas sales alone.
I agree it’s definitely a marketing move…make a holiday in every month. Make sure that people are always buying cards, candy, and presents so that they don’t feel like they’re missing out.
And what about all of these made up holidays: ie. Sweetest Day…total Hallmark rip off day. What Valentine’s Day isn’t good enough anymore? Or maybe with the way people are always getting divorces and breaking up they needed to cash in on a second day for lovers?
Actually, more of an American Greetings ripoff day. To be fair, however, the observance actually had a noble origin. The first Sweetest Day celebration, in 1922, entailed distribution of candy and gifts to some of the unfortunate and/or under-appreciated citizens of Cleveland, Ohio, site of American Greetings’ headquarters.