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Subscribe to RSSMore consumers are looking beyond Black Friday to get the best bang for their buck. NBC's Chris Clackum reports.
Even as most kids are still sorting through their trick or treat bags, major retailers are already turning their attention toward another favorite time of year for kids: The winter holidays.
The holiday shopping season – long crucial to most retailers’ financial success or failure – is starting earlier and earlier, especially online.
As of Halloween morning, retailers such as Amazon.com and Toyrus.com are already featuring holiday toys lists prominently on their home pages. Wal-Mart’s website was touting ways to get your home ready for the holidays alongside a last-minute Halloween costume promotion.
In all, the National Retail Federation said more than six in 10 online retailers were starting holiday promotions before Halloween.
Some may grouse about seeing Christmas trees in October, but a significant minority of shoppers do start thinking early about holiday shopping. Retail analysts at NPD Group expect that more than two in 10 shoppers will start their holiday shopping by Thanksgiving, a slight increase from last year.
Nearly four in 10 plan to do holiday shopping online, about the same as last year, according to NPD.
Still, the presidential election – and more recently, Superstorm Sandy – are probably a bigger distraction to people right now. C. Britt Beemer, a retail analyst with America's Research Group, said his recent polling has found that to be the case.
"Over half the country said they had to get through this presidential election before they could even think about Christmas," he said.
The early promotions - along with other discounts, free shipping deals and limited-time offers - are among the ways online-only retailers are trying to get an edge over traditional retailers' promotions such as Black Friday.
For retailers with both an online and a physical presence, experts say it's a way to entice shoppers to buy from them whether they are at the mall, using their smart phone or on their laptop.
"They’re really starting to realize that it’s a total picture. You can’t just pay attention to online or brick and mortar," said Vicki Cantrell, executive director of shop.org, the digital division of the National Retail Federation.
There are good deals to be had online, especially as we get closer to the holidays. But Beemer said consumers can still expect to get a good deal the old-fashioned way: By getting up really, really early on Black Friday and heading to a traditional store.
"There’s nothing better than those early bird specials," he said.
But Black Friday may not be such a good deal for those who aren't willing to wake up at the crack of dawn, and cost-conscious consumers have gotten more savvy about using online tools to compare prices and hold out for the best deal.
Cantrell said consumers are increasingly thinking of the period from Thanksgiving day to the Monday after Thanksgiving as an elongated shopping period, where they may shop online or in person, depending on what is cheapest and most convenient.
Overall, experts are predicting a decent holiday season as consumers grow a little less nervous about the economy, The National Retail Federation is estimating that sales will increase 4.1 percent, to $586.1 billion.
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Somehow I don't think the people devastated by this storm are concerned about Christmas at this time. I hope anyone that has any extra monies this holiday season will consider donating to "toys for tots" or local charities/food banks that help bring food and gifts to these families.
very well said dottie. I really could care two @!$%#zzz about holiday shopping as I still have no power, a tree on my house and food rotting away. Good lord can we all stop with the over consumption greed that feeds this country and maybe teach your kids a lesson on giving in time of need to the countless millions affected by this disaster
I love holiday shopping. In fact, I've already seen the Black Friday ads leaked from Macy's and others at
You are a complete loser idiot. You should be ashamed of yourself considering all the suffering Hurricane Sandy has created.
We do not have little children in our family any more. We donate to local Operation Christmas, food shelf, and Toys for Tots. Our church also has program for World Relief that we donate to buy food producing animals (cows, chickens, pigs) and we buy an animal every year. We also work the Santa night at our local American Legion. This is also a great time to send money to Wounded Warriors.
We have snacks after church Christmas Eve and all tell who we donated to.
Remember when you donate to the food shelf people can use toilet paper, toothpaste, dish soap, hand soap, bath soap, paper towels, hand lotion, stuff to scrub counters and floors, shampoo and hairspray. Toilet paper is expensive and very necessary.
And cash is always welcome there.
Retailers are out for a profit and consumers spend money, all of which drives our economy. Whether you shop online or brave the Black Friday madness, please remember this year those so devastated by Hurricane Sandy and the wildfires and the drought and make appropriate donations of time, food and money.
I like your comment, but I don't donate money to ANY organization. Too many overpaid higher ups and the money is used for things that are unnecessary. Donations of time and food are good.
Black Friday the last few years is nothing but a chance for someone to pickup eBay or Craigslist fodder. If your unemployed then you have a job of standing in line, then take it home and sell it for a marked up price.
Sorry, Christmas money is taking the family to Mexico this year. I will donate food to the food bank so that people can eat a meal. But that is it. I could care a less about corporate profits and greed. Stores who keep putting up Christmas decorations before Halloween is over just make me mad enough that I walk out the door. And don't even get me started on that Pumpkin headed Turkey Santa buLL$h!t mascot that they made up. What a joke.
I hate shopping the stores that start before Thanksgiving just to make their extra dollar. The stores forget what the true meaning of the holiday is..........instead all of them hike their prices and then put them on sale which is really higher than the original price. I will either shop online or give cash and gift cards. B ut most of the stores to them it is just greed nothing more. I hope they all fall way below their expected frenzy and maybe learn from it
All the sales and etc. the stores advertise are all hiked up prices and then lowered higher than the original price. What a joke a few of then big stores have been caught doing this. i wont help them make their greedy profit. Cash and gift cards and some bought on line. The black friday people are frenzy idiots. But before you buy something that is on sale lift the sticker up and it will reveal the on sale price is higher than the original price
Their holiday sales are not really sales. the on sale price is usually higher than the original price. The stores are not about holiday cheer it is about greed and who is going to make the higher dollar so they can brag about it. I love to shop but i check my prices and i do alot of buying online , give gift cards, and cash. I dont like to shop with the so called Black Friday shoppers. Most of them are pushy and rude and no one needs that. So to all the big box stores i hope you fall far below your greed expectations
Already articles about holiday shopping. Sickening. The same old ritual, again.
Hey,Toys 'R Us started in with their holiday advertising July 5th.
I completely agree with you.Let's DON'T talk holiday shopping for several more weeks.This writer wouldn't even wait until after Halloween.At noon on Halloween she couldn't stand holding back her greed until even midnight.
Honey,be a little less obvious about the fact that you're chomping at the bit to get your hands on any money or goods that you can milk out of the holiday season.
corporate America needs to realize the following.....Halloween IS, thanksgiving is a native America holiday corrupted by whitey and x-mas is just that and i am not buying anything for x-mas until December....just like it was in the 1980's, but, only for those whom are saint's to me will get a-n-y-thing if t all! beggars/Cheshire cat types and smug/snobby and i-don't-listen-i-only-give-orders-and-must-ignore-my-children's-tastes and make-them-love-what-i-like types will only get a lump of coal from me!