Watch out ghosts, ghouls and Tom Turkey — Santa Claus is already coming to town. Several retailers have started lining their shelves with Christmas trinkets, decorations and displays to entice early holiday shoppers, according to a post on the National Retail Federation’s blog.
Nearly 40 percent of Americans say they begin their holiday shopping before Halloween, according to a holiday spending survey conducted by the National Retail Federation.
“Retailers have been preparing all year for the holidays, and they know that in many cases, Christmas is going to make or break their year,” NRF expert Ellen Davis told the CBS Early Show. “So it’s very important for companies to have a good strategy.”
Retail analysts say early holiday shopping accelerated in 2008, the beginning of the recession. In a down economy, consumers spread their spending over months instead of days.
Shoppers should not expect to see the typical holiday sales on big-ticket items, but one customer told the CBS Early Show that the holiday displays give people a chance to see what’s available and encourages them to save for the items they want.
Source: NRF, September 2011
