Article

Should we make the holiday shopping season a 365-day effort, or not?

There's more than one trend hitting this holiday season and the impact may just change everyone's retail experience. But will it be for the good or for the bad?

October 15, 2015 by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com

The indicators and warnings about how the holiday retail season would be kicking off earlier than usual came early themselves, in late summer, as research firms and industry watchers began shooting warning signs in articles, blogs, reports and social media posts.

And they were right. The holiday décor began creeping onto shelves in early October, awkwardly being crammed in and around Halloween goodies and displays, and with nary a turkey or Thanksgiving item yet to be seen.

The strategy was likely prompted by other warnings from industry watchers that consumers were already holiday shopping in late summer, that they aren’t placing as much value on Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals this year, and likely will be spending more this year so they’re able to shop earlier and longer for that best-yet holiday gift.

Both scenarios are, overall, a good thing for retail. A longer season provides more opportunity to hit consumers during a time they’re most likely willing to spend, to be impulsive in buying, and that means, hopefully, more revenue and more product sold and more register activity.

Yet it does prompt a big question: how will it impact the customer experience in the most active, robust and typically wonderful shopping time of the year?

Will consumers burnout by Thanksgiving? Is that a scenario some big retailers are expecting given they won’t be open on the November holiday. (GameStop is now joining Staples and Half Price Books in closing on Thanksgiving this year). A New York electronics retailer (P.C. Richard) shuttered doors on turkey day eons ago in the belief the holiday should be one employees enjoy with family.

Will retailers burn out by the increased demand to push holiday sales, revamp pricing strategy, reconfigure mark-down schedules while at the same time front-loading more product earlier than ever and figuring the labor and time investment to keep merchandise approaches fresh and inviting to the consumer?

As a consumer and shopper, I’ve become much more inclined over the past decade to shop online as my personal preference is to avoid long lines, mass crowds, parking lot arguments, messy aisles, snippy cashiers, and the pressure inherent in finding that advertised goodie at a price that can’t be beat in cyber retail.

Will this prompt me to start my shopping sooner, and be more inclined to hit brick-and-mortars? The fact that it’s already something I’m thinking about indicates it very well may happen.

But will it prompt those who have been mostly off-line shoppers to revert as well?

It will be interesting, post Dec. 25, to learn and read the industry watchers’ analysis relating to the shift in holiday sales strategy and consumer activity. In the meantime, what do you think? I’d love to hear your insight on what you expect given the shifting trends and even on the personal level of being a consumer. You can email or share your insight in the comment box. Looking forward to reading your feedback.

About Judy Mottl

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Judy Mottl is editor of Retail Customer Experience and Digital Signage Today. She has decades of experience as a reporter, writer and editor covering technology and business for top media including AOL, InformationWeek, InternetNews and Food Truck Operator.

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