JessiccaSmart Christmas Shopping?
December 23rd 2006 08:56
This is a very interesting article that I found from MSN.UK. Perhaps this is just a mind how the Brit's been doing for their shopping, but generally, this happends everywhere across the globe. When I was just trying to send some stuffs over to my bosses's place, who's house is relatively close to a few huge department stores, you can see how bad the traffic is. While it is a 15 min drive to his house in a normal traffic. I took almost 35 minutes to reach the destination through cutting into the right track.
So here's what the UKs been saying. Happy reading!
Extracted from MSN.UK Money
Why we’ve left our shopping until the last minute
By Matthew Plowright
If, like me, you’ve barely started your Christmas shopping and are planning to fight through the crowds this weekend in a whirlwind blitz, then you’re far from alone: record numbers of us have, it seems, left our festive buying until the last minute this year.
According to Barclays, this Saturday, December 23, is expected to be the busiest Christmas shopping day ever. The bank estimates that we will spend more than £2.5 billion on Saturday alone, with £1.5 billion of this paid for using credit and debit cards. In addition, we are expected to withdraw almost £500 million from the nation’s cash machines during the peak shopping hours of 10am to 3pm alone.
In total, we are expected to spend £3.8 billion during the last few shopping days before Christmas, with the remainder of the week also expected to be bumper days for retailers.
Why are we leaving it so late?
So why are we leaving our shopping until later than ever before this year? According to analysts, the fact that Christmas Day this year falls on a Monday, leaving a full weekend of shopping beforehand, has meant that many people have postponed their shopping until this weekend.
The increasing popularity of internet shopping this Christmas has also meant that many shoppers have stayed away from the shops thus far, hoping to find bargains online, and will only venture out this weekend to buy gifts they have failed to track down on the internet.
In addition, many consumers are also wise to the fact that, with retailers struggling to attract customers so far this year, many shops will offer last-minute discounts in a bid to entice savvy shoppers back onto the high street.
Retail analyst Footfall reported that the number of people hitting the shops last weekend was 11% down on the penultimate Christmas shopping weekend in 2005, with some analysts warning that the high street is on course for its worst Christmas for 25 years.
Out-foxing the retailers
Natasha Burton, marketing manager at FootFall, believes that this year many shoppers have out-foxed retailers by leaving their purchases until the last minute.
“Consumers have been playing a waiting game and it has paid off,” she said.
"Over the course of this final week, a number of shops are planning to stay open 24 hours or at least extend their trading hours well into the night. It will be interesting to see what tactics the retailers employ to wring every last browsing minute out of the legal trading hours on the Sunday, Christmas Eve."
She added: "As we are now in the final week until Christmas with one full weekend of shopping to go, retailers will now be hoping that discounts and promotional offers will be enough to make their Christmas a prosperous one."
All of which means that, provided you can stomach the crowds, there will be some seriously good pre-Christmas bargains to be found in the next few days.
So here's what the UKs been saying. Happy reading!
Extracted from MSN.UK Money
Why we’ve left our shopping until the last minute
By Matthew Plowright
If, like me, you’ve barely started your Christmas shopping and are planning to fight through the crowds this weekend in a whirlwind blitz, then you’re far from alone: record numbers of us have, it seems, left our festive buying until the last minute this year.
According to Barclays, this Saturday, December 23, is expected to be the busiest Christmas shopping day ever. The bank estimates that we will spend more than £2.5 billion on Saturday alone, with £1.5 billion of this paid for using credit and debit cards. In addition, we are expected to withdraw almost £500 million from the nation’s cash machines during the peak shopping hours of 10am to 3pm alone.
In total, we are expected to spend £3.8 billion during the last few shopping days before Christmas, with the remainder of the week also expected to be bumper days for retailers.
Why are we leaving it so late?
So why are we leaving our shopping until later than ever before this year? According to analysts, the fact that Christmas Day this year falls on a Monday, leaving a full weekend of shopping beforehand, has meant that many people have postponed their shopping until this weekend.
In addition, many consumers are also wise to the fact that, with retailers struggling to attract customers so far this year, many shops will offer last-minute discounts in a bid to entice savvy shoppers back onto the high street.
Retail analyst Footfall reported that the number of people hitting the shops last weekend was 11% down on the penultimate Christmas shopping weekend in 2005, with some analysts warning that the high street is on course for its worst Christmas for 25 years.
Out-foxing the retailers
Natasha Burton, marketing manager at FootFall, believes that this year many shoppers have out-foxed retailers by leaving their purchases until the last minute.
“Consumers have been playing a waiting game and it has paid off,” she said.
"Over the course of this final week, a number of shops are planning to stay open 24 hours or at least extend their trading hours well into the night. It will be interesting to see what tactics the retailers employ to wring every last browsing minute out of the legal trading hours on the Sunday, Christmas Eve."
She added: "As we are now in the final week until Christmas with one full weekend of shopping to go, retailers will now be hoping that discounts and promotional offers will be enough to make their Christmas a prosperous one."
All of which means that, provided you can stomach the crowds, there will be some seriously good pre-Christmas bargains to be found in the next few days.
| 58 |
| Vote |
Subscribe to this blog
Comment by katyzzz
Photography Tips
Health Focus
Poetry Lighthouse
MS Paint Art
I'm glad I finished mine yesterday.
Have a wonderful Christmas
katyzzz
Comment by Jessicca
Health 2 Know
Learning Something Everyday
Daily History
Malaysia Found
So good to see you around here. ^_^
Well, technically, I didn't really shop for Christmas. I made them and I just manage to finish all of them and started distributting to my fellow friends... and not all of them yet. Probably I'll make it up to them next year. LOL...
Merry Christmas!
Comment by Mrs M
Mum's Word
I've left mine to last minute not because I'm clever but because I was dreading the christmas rush. Every time I think about gift shopping I feel an ulcer forming in my stomach.
But those dollar amounts are astounding. Such ridiculous amounts of money. And that's just the UK. Can you imagine North America.
I would love to see what kind of economic fallout would occur if for one year nobody bought presents and just donated that same amount of money to charity.
I think Bono should champion a new cause.
Sorry for the ramble. Have a good chrissie.
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Comment by Hope
Gifted Parenting
Freelance For Life
Comment by chayne de cairns
I'm jeleous that you made your own gifts - way to go! You have inspired me for next year...
I enjoy window shopping during the last weeks, and when the sales are on boxing day i am able to snap up those things i NEED at bargain prices. The time between window shopping and actual purchase gives me an opportunity to strike off the list the 'impulsive' purchases.
enjoy your christmas
chayne
Comment by Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
I think im going to tell my kids that Santa comes on the 28th - that way I can pick up all the bargains in the Boxing Day sales!
Have a great Christmas
Ash