Christmas in September starts the retail profit countdown

20 October 2010

If you have been into a major retailer since mid-September, you’ll no doubt have seen that the lead up to the Christmas retail period has started in earnest as decorations come out and incentives begin to appear.

While it’s tempting to complain that it starts earlier every year, retailers and hospitality industries know that Christmas, New Year and the end of the financial year are generally critical points in the consumer psyche.

Too early or timed just right?

It’s the time when people are making decisions about what to spend, what to cut back on, and what can simply wait until they return from holidays.

With many people tightening their belts thanks to recent and likely interest rate hikes, retailers need to be maximising their opportunities to help shoppers part with their hard-earned cash.

Planning for a happy financial New Year

Every good marketing plan should factor in these realities. If the time to acquire each sale is slowing down, give your market an incentive to commit now or lay a firm foundation for the New Year.

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