Is it too early to be thinking about Christmas?
The answer is a resounded "no" for many national retailers, such as Kmart, which aired its first holiday ad in early September, and Walmart and Toys 'R Us, which have both begun to publicize its holiday layaway programs, according to the L.A.Times.
Retailers are planning to start the Christmas push even earlier this year with the hopes of drawing in better sales during the holiday shopping season, which accounts for 20 percent of total sales for the entire year, according to the L.A. Times.
Some forecasts call for an increase in holiday sales this year while others predict dismal growth. Deloitte LLP, a New York-based consulting firm, forecasts holiday sales to rise by 4.5 percent this year, which is similar to last year's gains, as joblessness decreases and home prices rise.
Reuters reports holiday sales in November and December are only expected to increase by 2.4 percent, which would be the lowest rate increase since 2009, according to a forecast by ShopperTrak.
Another reason for the earlier push, according to ShopperTrak, is the fact that there is one fewer weekend this year for holiday shopping — and six fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, according to the Reuters article.
In addition, many retailers have had holiday decorations and wrapping paper on display for several weeks
No comments:
Post a Comment