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Shopping Spree Spirit – *Tis the Season!
Holiday shopping is a global phenomenon. Every year, come Thanksgiving and the beginning of December, malls and stores in cities around the world “deck their halls” and invite consumers in for extended hours and special sales in order to provide incentives to holiday shoppers. In fact, many stores experience their largest inflow of cash during the last 5-6 weeks of the year and merchants say that holiday shopping can account for over 1/3 or annual revenues. Thus, the holiday shopping season is vital to the economy and without it, many retail stores could not exist.
The joy of the holidays, the spirit of giving and the stress of buying are all leading factors in what makes the holiday shopping season so powerful. Consumers often spend more than budgeted trying to give each family member, friend or co-worker exactly what they want each year. Now that we are amidst the 2011 season, we thought it would be interesting to re-cap the facts and figures resulting from the 2010 holiday shopping period. The following data was compiled based on internet research from qualified sources:
U.S. Holiday Retail Statistics for 2010
– In 2010, retail spending rose 5.5% in the 50 days before Christmas (MasterCard Advisors Spending Pulse)
– 2010 pre-Christmas sales were $584.3 billion. Pre-recession 2007 pre-Christmas sales were $566.3 billion (MasterCard Advisors Spending Pulse)
– Cyber Monday sales at online retail websites were 19.4% higher in 2010, compared to the online sales of Cyber Monday in 2009 (Coremetrics)
– $1.028 billion was spent online on Cyber Monday in 2010, the first day in U.S. retail history to surpass the billion-dollar sales level (comScore)
– Black Friday weekend sales were $45 billion, compared to $41.2 billion in 2009 (NRF)
– The average amount spent per consumer on Black Friday, 2010 was $365.34, compared to $343.31 in 2009 (NRF)
– 212 million shoppers visited stores and online websites on Black Friday, 2010, which was a 9% increase (NRF)
– In 2010, 23 million people were shopping on Christmas Eve (ICSC)
The following infographic was taken from Nielsen and outlines predicted global shopping patterns for 2011:
Here at Stikii we believe that one of the most valuable tools that we could give our fans this holiday season would be a list of tips to help you to become a “Holiday Shopping Expert”. Thanks to the advice given in USA Today, if you stick to these last-minute shopping tips we are sure you will come home happy and find some VERY happy faces after the gift opening commences.
- Take a day off from work – Mid-day shopping tends to be the best time to avoid crowds. Late night shopping tends to be a bit more timid as well.
- Make a list of what you have already purchased – Taking inventory of what you already have and how much you have spent before you shop can help to prevent over spending and stress.
- Call in advance to have stores hold merchandise.
- Christmas Eve shopping calls for EXTRA markdowns – So don’t rule that one out!
- Set a budget – Set a budget for the amount you want to spend this year. Don’t worry about the number of gifts each person receives. After all, it is quality not quantity.
- Use cash – Going shopping with just cash in your wallet ensures that you will not spend more than you have or max out your credit cards.
- Make trips back to the car – This helps to prevent back or muscle strain, and helps you keep track of all of your purchases.
We hope that these facts, statistics and tips will help you to prepare to venture out into the hustle and bustle that is the 2011 Holiday Shopping Season. If you are looking for a quick, reasonable and fun buy for kids, Stikii has EXACLTY what you need. Our shoes are unique and fun, and not to mention affordable. With 8 different colors and over 60 different accessories to choose from, you can’t go wrong! Shop online today in the comfort of your own home to avoid the lines and madness. Visit www.stikii.com for more information on our fabulous shoes and Stik-em accessories. Nothing says “giving” like a pair of Stikii’s!
