As much as I love the traditions of Christmas & the holiday season, it doesn’t exist to me until Santa has closed the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s not coming earlier and earlier each year. The gift guides are slowly popping up along with trends and predictions. Here’s a peek at some of the forecasts:
Consumers are estimated to pick clothing over gadgets this shopping season.
- Plan to buy more at Costco, less at Best Buy
- Confidence still weak
- However, purchases expected to increase from last year (est: 2.8% in sales in Nov & Dec)
- 70% plan to purchase apparel (which is apparently the same as last year)
- With focus on clothes over products, people will be willing to spend a little more on apparel
- $824 is the expected amount for Consumers to spend on Holiday shopping
To read more about the effect of fuel prices, lack of innovative electronics and “Let’s Rock Elmo” being predicted as one of the best toys, see here
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- 72% get gift ideas from Facebook I’m going to assume that Pinterest will gain a lead as idea generator
- 38% have already started shopping wait what?? pressure is on!
- Free shipping is the winning deal that makes people more likely to purchase from a specific retailer – they’re less interested in free returns
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Do you buy yourself a holiday gift? 6 out of 10 consumers plan to spend an estimated $130.41 on themselves.
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The theme is going from practical & necessity to “everyday appropriate”…people will be willing to pay a little more but expect it to be versatile and provide a lot of use …giving them their money’s worth.
The free shipping everyone loves (see infograph) … brought to you by 20,000 additionally hired Fed Ex employees.
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Oprah keeps her “Favorite Things” tradition alive….through her magazine. You wont be able to hear the audience’s gasps but you will be able to rip out the pages for a shopping guide. So what made the cut ? Check out a few of her favorite things here.
Observant Curiosity 