It crept up on me. A few days ago, I was happily shopping at World Market, looking at home decorations, when I turned around to see…Christmas merchandise! I did a quick mental check. Wasn’t it still September? “Not already,” I groaned as I exited the store shortly after.
My grandmother and grandfather have an annual showdown. My grandfather, who loves anything and everything about Christmas, would be thrilled to put up a Christmas tree in the living room the day after Halloween. He tries to get away with playing just one little Christmas tune after dinner. My grandmother, on the other hand, takes the traditional stance that the Christmas season does not start until after Thanksgiving. She believes one should not let Christmas tunes thwart Thanksgiving of its November glory. My grandmother always wins.
The consumer has not been so victorious, however. Retailers are forcing Christmas merchandise upon all of us, whether we like it or not. Playfully dubbed the “Christmas Creep,” this phenomenon has become more and more apparent in recent years. Retailers continue to introduce the Christmas season earlier each year as they compete with each other for sales during the most profitable time of the year. The Christmas shopping season used to begin on the formidable “Black Friday” after Thanksgiving, but apparently this year it was pushed to the end of September!
As we see Christmas make its grand entrance earlier and earlier, one question inevitably arises: is this strategy working for retailers? To date, the trend has not been proven to significantly increase overall sales. The next question is: are these early sales making consumers change their Christmas shopping habits? According to one poll, the majority of consumers are still waiting until the last minute to do their shopping, despite the Christmas Creep. The poll reveals that only 56% of consumers begin the shopping process by December 7.
More importantly, the Christmas Creep may alienate consumers. Many shoppers are turned off by seeing Christmas merchandise so early. The Christmas Creep may cause anxiety to consumers who view Christmas shopping as a chore. Additionally, holidays are not a joyful time for everyone; consumers may dread the holidays due to the absence of loved ones or, at the other end, having to bear the in-laws. These consumers will react negatively to having to endure the holidays for an extended period of time. Finally, the Christmas Creep may annoy some consumers because it constantly reminds them of how commercialized Christmas has become.
On the other hand, the Christmas Creep may be appealing to some consumers who particularly like to comparison shop. An earlier start to the shopping season means more time to find better deals. And there are some people, like my Grandfather, who just never seem to be able to get enough of Christmas.
So, what do you think? Should retailers keep extending the Christmas Creep until the lighthearted concept of “Christmas in July” transforms into a reality? Or does the Christmas Creep leave a bitter taste in your mouth and you wishing that you had been served turkey instead of that shiny, discounted candy cane?
-Erica DeBrock
It seems that the Christmas Creep is definitely in full swing, and although I enjoy a little taste of Christmas in November (my hometown just survived a blizzard, so I guess I'm getting what I asked for a little early), I think constant images of Christmas shopping is a little much. One thing I have noticed in recent advertising is the focus on layaway: big box retailers such as KMart and WalMart are promoting their layaway programs, where you pay around $5 down for your Christmas purchases and pay a little at a time up to the big day. I feel that in this economy, this is something that will definitely appeal to consumers. Other than that, I would like to save the candy canes and wrapped presents for a few more weeks..
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