Presidential election chaos drives early holiday shopping
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
Blame the presidential election for extra early Christmas shopping this year.
Why it matters: Retailers fearing a November slowdown are expected to offer up deals long before most Americans vote in the middle of a make-or-break holiday shopping season.
- "The uncertainty around election results may slow down shopping around that time and that could be one reason why retailers started to offer holiday deals early," George Mason University associate professor Mehmet Altug told Axios.
The big picture: Christmas decorations, including some trees, are already on display at Costco, Sam's Club and Hobby Lobby stores. More stores are selling merchandise online.
- Lowe's launched its first wave of holiday décor online in July, more than a month earlier than last year's earlier-than-ever push. The retailer told Axios it will release additional holiday merchandise in stores starting mid-September and online by Sept. 30.
- Amazon has announced that its "Prime Big Deal Days" sale will return in October. It's expected to drive competitors to hold early holiday sales of their own, like with Prime Day in July.
Zoom in: Halloween sales, which launched early this year, are also starting to take up more space in stores as the season shifts from back-to-school to fall.
- Home Depot unveiled its 2024 Halloween collection in March and then launched it online in July. The collection hit shelves store shelves Aug. 29.
By the numbers: 48% of holiday shoppers will begin shopping in August, September or October, according to a new Bankrate survey of 2,300 U.S. adults.
What they're saying: "This year, the push for early holiday shopping is even more pronounced, and we expect retailers to offer deals and promotions earlier than before," Natalie Kotlyar, a retail analyst at BDO, tells Axios.
- "The extended holiday shopping season should be seen as a win for consumers, providing them with more time to find the best deals and plan purchases," Kotlyar said.
Between the lines: Another reason for an early holiday push is there are five fewer days between Black Friday and Christmas Day than last year, Stephen Yalof, president and CEO of Tanger, told Axios, noting shoppers should expect to see more promotions earlier.
- "Retailers are also likely to stock up earlier with greater inventory shipments, catering to early holiday shoppers," Yalof said.
More from Axios:
