Thanksgiving is such a special time of the year where we all get to spend time with our families, hopefully feasting on delicious foods. But aside from celebrating the blessings of the past year, Thanksgiving also marks the start of the shopping season. That’s right, folks, from 25 November every year, the public goes on a shopping frenzy!
Central to the Christmas and holiday season is the exchanging of gifts. And that’s why the holidays are also well known as the shopping season. This comprises a peak sales time at the start of the holiday season as everyone stocks up for Christmas, as well as the end-of-season sale in January.
Understanding Shopping Season and Why It Starts with Thanksgiving
In the United States, the holiday season is a very important time for retail shopping. A 2014 census pointed out that shoppers spend on average $850 each during this time. Here’s when consumers do their festive shopping:
Day After Thanksgiving – Black Friday
Festive shopping kicks off the day after Thanksgiving, which is also known as Black Friday. And it’s by far one of the busiest shopping days in the entire calendar year! It’s not uncommon to see prices slashed by as much as 50% and even 60% on Black Friday, which is why it’s a highly anticipated shopping event.
Monday After Black Friday – Cyber Monday
Cyber Monday takes place the Monday following Black Friday. As the name implies, consumers can look to score great deals on this day as some Black Friday prices often get reduced even more for Cyber Monday. It’s also a great time to buy clothing and travel deals.
Saturday Before Christmas – Super Saturday
Super Saturday happens on the Saturday before Christmas every year and also on the days surrounding it. This day is also known as Panic Saturday, and naturally is the time when most people do last-minute shopping.
After Super Saturday – Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve is your absolute last call for Christmas shopping. And this rings true for everything from gifts to groceries. Did you know that up to 51% of the US population wait until Christmas Eve sales to do their shopping?
Day After Christmas – Boxing Day
While people shop for gifts for their loved ones up until Christmas Eve, they often treat themselves on Boxing Day. Retailers leverage this opportunity to capture shoppers looking for post-Christmas clearance deals.
After Boxing Day – New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Eve sales tend to run from 26 December to 1 January every year. Many people tend to do last-minute shopping for outfits, food, drinks, and party supplies for this event.
After New Year’s – January Sales
Stores tend to unload their excess stock from Christmas in the January sales events. Ecommerce merchants and their partners offer great discounts and run special campaigns to get people buying at this relatively slow time of the year. Many even allow customers to buy now and pay later to alleviate Blue Monday (18 January) symptoms.
Wrapping Up the Thanksgiving Shopping Season
It’s a fact that almost 30% of US consumers start their holiday shopping on or just after Thanksgiving. As families come together to celebrate the year’s blessings, they’re also gearing up to start shopping for their loved ones! From all of us here at Day Translations, we’re wishing you a festive shopping season!