Why planning for the holidays in October is a smart idea
The holiday shopping season seems to start earlier each year. It is fast approaching, and before you know it, offices begin filling bottles, baskets, sweets, plants, cheese boards, etc. In the end, the receiver no longer knows who gave them what bottle or - who to thank for the sixth panettone they received. We want your gift to stand out and separate you from all the other gifts sent during this busy holiday season.
Even the smallest details matter
It's important to remember not all recipients are the same. Sourcing a gift that appeals to the general audience takes more work than one realizes. I would even say it is even more challenging than sourcing products for a particular demographic. Not everyone drinks alcohol; some recipients may be vegan, some may have kids, and others may have pets they adore.
A detailed recipient profile is one of the best tools you can have in your gifting arsenal. The minor details can dramatically change a gift's impact on a recipient. Imagine gifting a box full of goodies to a client's beloved pet- a detail like this is sure to communicate that you know what's important to them.
Other details to capture could be hobbies or a favorite sports team. Knowing these details facilitates the selection of a more personal & thoughtful gift. Recipients will be touched that you listened carefully, increasing their loyalty and your ROI. Keep repeating this process until you develop a roster of loyal clients that keep referring you to their friends and family.
Shop early to maintain the joy of giving gifts to your recipients
Benefits of early planning
A survey by RetailMeNot and AlixPartners found that US consumers are planning their holiday gift purchases early in the season. In the July 2021 RetailMeNot survey, 19% of shoppers said they planned to start holiday shopping in August or earlier, and 30% said they would start shopping earlier than they had in years prior.
The holidays are a fun time of year but can also be stressful considering all the various tasks, errands, and commitments that need to be completed during this time. There are a lot of moving parts to keep on track. Not everyone has the mental capacity to absorb this - especially during December. Planning ahead helps alleviate potential stress.
A Salesforce survey by Practical Ecommerce found that 37% of consumers will shop earlier than usual. The survey also shows a shift from significant shopping holidays (Black Friday & Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday) to buying earlier in the season. For some consumers, gift planning begins as early as September (sometimes even earlier) to minimize significant expenses in a short time.
Where and when to start?
When purchasing early, shopping should not be made until the last minute since the products may become out of stock and/or the shipping processes may be complicated. It is recommended that, from the beginning of September, you begin to casually review online stores to compare the possible gifts you want to buy. Stores like tinselandbow.com can be an excellent alternative.
It's better to prevent
When it comes to gifts, it is important to take certain precautions since they are usually the most important point in Holidays shopping. That is why it is best to take a couple of weeks before and dedicate yourself to making purchases in advance; in this way, you can save on gasoline costs, waiting time in stores, and cumbersome wrapping.
Your Holidays shopping experience will likely be different than in years past. Between supply chain issues, rising commodity prices, staffing shortages, and struggles to maintain inventory, retailers are gearing up for a difficult few months.
According to Salesforce, the U.S. retailer will face an additional $223 billion in merchandise costs this season. These higher costs are due to labor shortages and higher shipping and manufacturing prices.
The study suggests that retailers bear much of this cost, although some may be passed on to consumers. Deloitte predicts that Americans will spend 7% to 9% more than last holiday, totaling $1.3 trillion. And with prices rising in nearly every consumer category, shoppers can expect to spend more on gifts than ever.
Online Shopping vs In-person shopping
One of the advantages of living in a tech-driven world is that you can easily purchase a gift and have it wrapped and shipped with a few clicks of a button. Consumers are becoming keener and keener to the benefits of online shopping vs. traditional brick-and-mortar shopping. A positive distinction is the vast selection and variety of items in a conventional in-person store. Online and early shopping is precious to those limited on time. Dealing with crowded stores and parking near impossible to find is not the best use of most people’s time.
Here are a few benefits to consider with online shopping:
Store open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. One of the primary benefits consumers choose to shop online is the ability to shop anytime, day or night. The online store is always open, making it easy for consumers to manage the time they want to devote to shopping.
Price Comparison & Savings When shopping online, you can, in a few clicks, visit different sites that sell the exact product .
More disposable time. Physically, going to a store can take a long time. It is often necessary to travel by car, with all the problems related to traffic and parking. In addition, sometimes, after all the effort made, the desired product is not in stock or is not convincing. Shopping online saves time because what you are looking for is just a click away.
Wide variety of choices. The Internet is full of virtual stores that can be visited simply, allowing consumers to find exactly what they want. Even when it comes to products that are difficult to find, you have a better chance of finding them online if you dig deep enough.
The holidays are a great time to gift loyal patrons. However, if you want more bang for your buck, setting up a gifting strategy during an unexpected season or holiday to leverage the time of the year is an excellent time to thank them for their loyalty, demands, and, above all, the trust they have placed in us.
To help with your gifting strategy the Tinsel & Bow team created a gift planning worksheet just for you. Download PDF here.
Take advantage of the occasion and not limit your clients to just the Holiday season; any time of the year is an excellent time to thank them for their loyalty, demands, and above all, the trust they have placed in us.
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