Retailers are focused on grabbing consumer attention and dollars this holiday season, and it seems as though they’ll go through great lengths to win those sales.
It seems as though shoppers have access to more deals, sales and doorbusters than ever. Moreover, these sales were available earlier and so far, are implemented on a pretty consistent basis.
As a result, some sources are indicating that consumers are playing “chicken” with retailers. Meaning, they’re waiting longer to complete their holiday shopping because they believe retailers will roll out better deals and steeper discounts as we get closer to Christmas.
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But are all shoppers in the same boat? The RTP editorial staff shares whether they’re getting holiday shopping earlier, or if they’re sticking it out to get more discounts.
Debbie Hauss, Editor-in-Chief: I am definitely a procrastinator when it comes to shopping – holiday or otherwise – unless I have a gift inspiration for someone on my list. Although when my kids were younger I have to admit that I searched high and low for a tamagotchi or certain pair of shoes that they really wanted. I’ve never gone shopping at midnight or on Thanksgiving Day, and I typically wait until the heart of the season before shopping. I have some friends who shop all year long for the December holiday season and store gifts for months ahead of time. Like most people though, I appreciate a good deal and will pay closer attention to the email promotions in my inbox in November and December.
Alicia Fiorletta, Senior Editor: I’ll say up front – I’m not one of those people who purchases holiday gifts during the summer, September or even October! I truly enjoy the entire “holiday experience,” so I typically wait until after Thanksgiving to get started. We also have more little ones in our family, so all of the adults are starting to embrace grab bags and white elephants. Because I now have fewer gifts to buy, I’m just keeping my eye out for sales and seeing if the items I want to buy are discounted. I definitely am not the type to play “chicken.” If I see a really good deal, I act on it.
Rob Fee, Managing Editor: In a perfect world, I’d start my holiday shopping in August and finish by October, allowing me to avoid the crowds and traffic that surround every mall in December. This, however, has never happened, and the bulk of my holiday shopping will be done over the next two weeks. Although a few trips to the mall are unavoidable, I find myself shopping online more and more each year. I find it easier to stay on task and much more convenient. For example, this year I made my daughter a list of potential Christmas presents. All I have to do now is add them to my cart, pay and provide my shipping information. No need to fight crowds, and no worries about driving out to the mall to find the item I wanted is out of stock. It requires a bit more planning, but it saves me a headache.
Kim Zimmermann, Managing Editor: I do a mix of online and in-store shopping. If it is clothing item, I like to look at it more closely, so I’m inclined to hit the store. But for electronics, if the person is very specific in their request, I can find it easier and usually cheaper online. I try to start before Thanksgiving and finish up in early December.
Glenn Taylor, Associate Editor: This season, I participated in some Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping all through the comfort of my laptop, but I generally purchase holiday gifts in person in the middle of December. It’s usually easier for me to gauge what kind of presents I should buy for family as I get closer to the actual holiday, plus it’s much easier to keep the gifts a secret if they are in my possession for less time. If worse comes to worse and an item I’m looking for isn’t available, I’ll just hop back online, make a purchase there and spend more on the quickest shipping option, if necessary.
Brian Anderson, Associate Editor: I’m the kind of guy who is always looking for good deals. Whenever I see something that’s on sale – and if I feel as though it would make a great gift for someone during the holidays – I usually by it right then and there to get it out of the way. There are drawbacks with this, such as finding a gift on sale in November and seeing a bigger discount for the same item somewhere in early December. It’s tough, but I’m sure many shoppers like myself have a short attention span and easily move on to the next person on their shopping list.
Have you already started, or finished, your holiday shopping? Or are you procrastinating?
