Shoppers show no signs of slowing entering holiday season
Despite coronavirus, retail out-pacing last year’s spending
Holiday shopping hours and habits have been in enough flux over the past decade with the growth on online shopping as well as Cyber Monday competing with Black Friday for consumers ready to spend.
Throw coronavirus into the mix this holiday shopping season, with consumers already opting to shop online rather than gathering in crowds, and toss in a real push this year to support local businesses to help offset quarantine-impacted losses, and the 2020 holiday shopping season figures to have a real mix of patterns and priorities.
Arrowhead Mall, at 7700 W. Arrowhead Towne Center, in Glendale, is closed Thanksgiving Day but opens at 6 a.m. for Black Friday sales on Nov. 27.
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Holiday shopping hours and habits have been in enough flux over the past decade with the growth on online shopping as well as Cyber Monday competing with Black Friday for consumers ready to spend.
Throw coronavirus into the mix this holiday shopping season, with consumers already opting to shop online rather than gathering in crowds, and toss in a real push this year to support local businesses to help offset quarantine-impacted losses, and the 2020 holiday shopping season figures to have a real mix of patterns and priorities.
Arrowhead Mall, at 7700 W. Arrowhead Towne Center, in Glendale, is closed Thanksgiving Day but opens at 6 a.m. for Black Friday sales on Nov. 27.
BLACK FRIDAY/CYBER MONDAY
The retail industry is showing no signs of corona-cautious consumers entering the holiday shopping season.
“Retail sales grew for the sixth month in a row in October, with sales significantly better than the same time a year ago as the economy continued to recover and consumers began their holiday shopping early,” the retail industry trade group National Retail Federation said Nov. 17.
Overall, retail sales were up 10.6 percent in October 2020 versus October 2019, and for the first 10 months of this year, retail sales were up 6.4 percent versus the first 10 months of 2019, the Federation further studied.
The Federation did find that consumers plan to spend about $50 less on gifts, holiday items like food and decorations, and additional “non-gift” purchases for themselves and their families this year. The study surveyed 7,660 consumers in early October.
Data also reveal that 42% of consumers started their holiday shopping sooner than usual this year.
Those shoppers who opt to avoid crowds or waking up early on Friday will likely continue the Cyber Monday upswing.
The National Retail Federation started using the term “Cyber Monday” in 2005 to name the booming online sales the Monday after Thanksgiving. Cyber Monday hit its first $1 billion spending season benchmark just five years later, and by 2019, according to comScore, which tracks marketing data and analytics, Cyber Monday attracted $7.8 billion.
Just exactly when Cyber Monday begins, too, is up for debate, depending on the retailer. BestBuy.com is advertising that its Cyber Monday sales actually begin Sunday, Nov. 29, which provides even less time between it and Black Friday.
“In 2020, we expect Cyber Monday and Black Friday to be even less differentiated, as COVID-19 will push shoppers online,” writes blackfriday.com, which aggregates all the big day’s deals and retailers for consumers.
Where coronavirus does seem to be impacting shoppers’ decisions, though, is product availability.
Industry watchdog Bazaarvoice, which researches page views, orders, reviews and surveys, found earlier this year that more than half of respondents (58%) said they have experienced product shortages at stores from which they’ve tried to make a purchase.
BUY LOCAL
Throughout the pandemic, consumers have shown a desire to support local businesses that may be struggling rather than to spend at big box stores.
MarketWatch shared ways to support local businesses in the community, from buying gift cards to shopping local online.
Also, the industry analyst recommended to keep paying local people who aren’t working due to quarantining, such as piano lesson teachers, housekeepers or tutors. Another method of helping a local business is to provide positive reviews on a business’ page such as Yelp, Google or Facebook, as well as following favorite businesses and artists online and sharing their social media posts.
Steve Stockmar News Editor | Sun Life Magazine & Arts & Entertainment
YourValley.net @stevestockmar
Meet Steve Steve Stockmar joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2017, and has been an Arizona journalist for almost 30 years. He serves as editor of Sun Life Magazine and contributes to West Valley communities where he focuses mostly on arts & culture, education, and profiles of neighbors making a difference.
Community: Every season Steve serves as a “buddy” with the Miracle League of Arizona in Scottsdale, has volunteered his time with Family Promise in Glendale, and previously served on the Ghostlight Theatre board in Sun City West.
Education: Graduated from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff with a Journalism major and English minor.
Random Fact: Steve once won a 50-player live Texas Hold ’Em poker tournament.
Hobbies: Anguishing over his beloved Chicago Cubs and Bears; listening to Beatles and Grateful Dead music.
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