Maddie Heimsch
Economics A4
The “Christmas Creep”
With over 1,800 Target stores in the US, it is an understatement to say that the discount store turned corporate giant is major in sales throughout the nation. Selling clothing, home decor, electronics, groceries, sporting goods, movies and books, and office supplies (just to name a few), while including pharmacies, photo counters, and Starbucks coffee stands, Americans find it hard to resist the superstore that seems to carry just about anything. And just like any major company, Target does its best to keep customers returning to their stores. One of the most effective ways to do this is to play on seasonal demands: placing emphasis on back to school supplies in August, bathing suits as spring break approaches, and of course, Christmas merchandise during the holiday season. However, as most have noticed in today’s commercialized Christmas celebrations, businesses have begun to sell Christmas merchandise at seemingly outrageous times. In efforts to outsell competitors, the “Christmas Creep” is a marketing term regarding the sales of holiday-themed items months in advance, and most agree that it must stop. While the holiday season is enjoyable, customers argue that we should slow down and enjoy Halloween and Thanksgiving before rushing into December. This year, Target has taken a stand against the Christmas Creep, and it is evident that it would be in other companies’ best interest to follow.
Although some argue that Target is underutilizing their resources in avoiding Christmas items as early as possible, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Essentially, the Christmas Creep is a marketing strategy- stores want to get their holiday decorations out the earliest so customers will have no choice but to shop from them. However, this is a strategy that customers hate. 71% of Americans agree that the Christmas Creep is annoying- at best (theweek.com). And Target is smart for listening. Rick Gomez, the company’s chief marketing officer, reminded us why the Target corporation truly believes that this is a step in the right direction. “They want us to pause,” he says about the store’s shoppers, “...to be really intentional and recognize Thanksgiving. What they don’t want us to do is go right into Christmas. So, we are going to respect that.” Retailers around the globe make their sales by catering to the wants and needs of their shoppers. However, no one seems to listen when customers vocalize their annoyances with stores’ attempted strategies. This is where Target is separating itself, and the positive externality of their decision is that customers around the nation will appreciate their efforts, making themselves a favorite in the retail world.
Going hand in hand with Target making an effort to listen to its customers, the store isn’t halting Christmas sales altogether. For those few shoppers who actually act on the Christmas Creep, buying their holiday supplies as early as September, Target is hearing them too. Their anti-Christmas Creep statement is mainly regarding their advertisements placed online, on TV, and at the front of their stores. Instead of bombarding shoppers with holiday sales at the front door during the fall months, Target will place their discounted Christmas items at the back of the store-- there for shoppers who want them, but out of the way of shoppers who want to slow down and delay their Christmas shopping until early December. “This offers customers the ability to get into the Christmas spirit when it suits them,” James Shepard, visual merchandise manager insists. Although the change might seem minor, it is a step in the right direction, away from the Christmas Creep, while still pleasing a wide variety of customers nationwide.
Lastly, the opportunity cost of competitor retailers of selling Christmas items so early is that they aren’t making profit on items for other holidays, like Halloween and Thanksgiving. Most retail competitors are attempting to make all their sales on Christmas items this time of year, with 98% of malls in the US sporting red and green decor by the first week of November, long before Thanksgiving even begins (theweek.com). However, Target is making it known to consumers that they are the place to go for purchasing Halloween and Thanksgiving items and getting a break from the Christmas madness. Because of this, the 71% of consumers that don’t participate in the Christmas Creep are drawn to Target rather than its holiday-crazed competitors selling wreaths and jingle bells in September. So, contrary to popular belief, Target’s strategies are helping the company far more than harming it.
Overall, other major retailers would be smart to follow in the Target corporation’s footsteps, for the 71% of us that can’t stand Christmas in September. Steve Cooper said it best: “In late October and early November, give the Christmas decorations a rest. Let the aromatic wafts of pumpkin-spiced lattes ease the seasonal transition before dumping fake snow all over the countertops,” (Forbes). As the holiday season seems to grow longer and longer each year, even Christmas lovers admit that we need to fight off the Christmas Creep.
Works Cited
Arkin, Daniel. “Target Is Taking on 'Christmas Creep,' Just in Time for Thanksgiving.”NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 24 Oct. 2017, www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/target-taking-christmas-creep-just-time-thanksgiving-n813756.
“Christmas Creep.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 20 Nov. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_creep.
Rayasam, Renuka. “Capital - This Is Why Christmas Creep Makes Us Cringe.” BBC, BBC, 5 Oct. 2016, www.bbc.com/capital/story/20160929-this-is-why-christmas-creep-makes-us-cringe.
“Target Corporation.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Nov. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Target_Corporation#Store_formats.
“Target Has a Plan for Fighting 'Christmas Creep'.” Fortune, fortune.com/2017/10/23/target-christmas-holiday-shopping-deals/.
Putting up products months in advance for holidays can increase profits for some items, but not all. Putting them up in advance means you will have more in back stock to prepare if the shelves run out. With this in mind the product may run out but if it doesn't sell well the store may not sell enough of it to meet what they paid for it. Hence clearance sales on candy and other products. Also no one wants to hear Christmas carols right after Halloween.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Christmas sales should not start any earlier than Thanksgiving or just before. As you had stated, the sales of holiday merchandise has began much too early. I was surprised to find out that this marketing strategy of selling Christmas supplies has a name..but how fitting! I have always enjoyed Target and appreciate their well working strategies to listen to customers and take a step ahead of its competitors. Even though I am an avid Christmas lover, selling jingle bells, wreaths and stockings in October and early November is a bit much for me.
ReplyDeleteI can definitely relate to the annoyance of seeing Christmas items out even before Halloween. I think that it just takes away from the time of the year and instead just focuses on what is yet to come. When we should be enjoying fall, Christmas decorations are already around us. Target made a good decision in waiting to sell Christmas items, because very few people are specifically looking for Christmas decorations in October. Instead, they will profit more by using the space of their store to sell goods that people will actually buy at that time of the year and then updating their shelves once the holiday season actually hits and people are wanting to buy these goods.
ReplyDeleteIf target puts the christmas stuff at the back of the store won't that effect the sales that they get. Because regular shoppers that don't intentionally go their for christmas stuff but see it and buy it, won't see it and buy it anymore because they might miss it at the back of the store
ReplyDeleteThis was a really great article, one I am able to relate to because I am a Target fan, but also I do not enjoy the early Christmas decorations that other companies put out even before Thanksgiving. I thought it was interesting as to how Target is taking a different approach to selling Christmas items. They are such a trusted company that many people shop at, so when they are in their stores they do not need to bombard customers with Christmas things just because they are worried about the profit they will make compared to their competitors. But, other companies were to follow in Target's footsteps, would the competition change because now no company would be forcing Christmas upon their customer, providing more options for shopping, besides from Target. Overall, I believe that this was a very interesting topic, that broaden my understanding of the tactics companies take in selling their products.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that it would bother consumers that might not be ready for Christmas. But I don't think it will have a significant impact on the economy. If consumers would buy more at target then this would have a good impact on the economy because it would give out higher dividends to their stock holders. Then it would put more money in the hands of consumers which would increase economic growth. After this year we will know if it hurt their sales or not by the amount of growth they have in their fourth quarter.
ReplyDeleteI like how you chose this topic, as it is unique and interesting. I agree that Target is making the right choice of choosing to not sell Christmas items in September because while it may seem there is a missed opportunity, consumers actually begin to like Target more because they're not forcing Christmas on you before it's even Halloween. I also think that other big companies should start following in their footsteps because this trend seems to be working for Target. Overall, this was a great holiday piece and very interesting to read.
ReplyDeleteWe all argue that when we see Christmas items in stores in October or even earlier everyone throws a big fit. In all reality... who cares!?!? You decide when you want to buy Christmas gifts and I truly don't understand what the big deal is to those who see Christmas things in stores early. A lot of the time there are already deals on Christmas presents. I don't think the "Christmas Creep" is as big of a deal that everyone makes it. I believe that if they're selling Christmas and Halloween stuff in October, so be it. If you disagree on the Christmas things, shop somewhere else or buy your halloween things and leave. This is such a "first world problem" that we're having and there are bigger things to want to try and fix than seeing Christmas things in stores a couple months earlier.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the Christmas Creep is very annoying, and Target is doing the right thing to prevent it. However, I think it is very convenient for those who enjoy Christmas right after school starts, to have all of the red and green in the back of the store. It may not even hurt to have some of this stuff up year round for customers to be on their game and purchase gifts and decor early. This would continue to give Target a good reputation. But I definitely agree that it should stay slightly conceded until the first week of November, when the holiday season begins to go into swing with Black Friday.
ReplyDeleteThe ‘Christmas Creep’ is something that I, along with the other 71% of customers, hate. I don’t enjoy having to see Christmas decor and merchandise during the months of September and October. The idea of Target not putting out their ads and front door sales of Christmas until the month of, is a good idea because it makes the company seem more customer-friendly, instead of money hungry like their competitors. When people are just getting into the Thanksgiving spirit, they don’t want to be bombarded with Christmas decoration when it is still 2 months away, it becomes annoying and, for me personally, pulls customers away. Makes me personally not want to go to those stores and use their sales. I enjoy Christmas and the decorations, the month of December until New Years.
ReplyDeleteTarget is one of my favorite stores to shop at which makes this blog post enjoyable and interesting to read. I agree that Target is a very popular store to shop at during the holidays due to the wide variety of items/products offered. With Christmas being a crazy holiday I think it's very acceptable for target to only release their Christmas products during the month of December because that's when Christmas is- not in the fall seasons of September or October. With that being said, some consumers may be upset which could decrease Target's profit but I think it's a really good idea for Target to keep this strategy as it's only benefiting them.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting to read this topic because I am a Target Team Member. The Christmas Creep is very annoying for us employees too. In fact, yesterday I spent 4 hours in the Christmas section either cleaning up the atrocious mess the customers make (because of the build-up after the ignorance of Christmas). Also, I ran the mobile phone too and at least 75% of the calls dealt with our seasonal section of the store. I'm happy answering any questions and doing anything to make our stores look nicer and cleaner, but I am literally tired of Christmas already.
ReplyDeleteIt is often times very interesting to see how early stores begin to bring in their seasonal items, but I do see why they do this. If stores want to bring in more consumers they need to make sure they are keeping them interested and on their feet and introducing new and exciting products, and what better way to do that then relate it to fun and exciting holidays. Consumers will see the seasonal items in stores and start getting excited for the holidays and want to start buying the products.
ReplyDeleteVery inciting title, I saw it and was immediately intrigued. I also thought this post was insightful. Target made a good decision to listen to their customers but still keep their Christmas items available for people who wanted them. I believe there's nothing wrong with the Christmas Creep. Thanksgiving isn't as profitable as Christmas and if firms supply Christmas decorations and people buy them, the firms should keep supplying them. Many people like to plan ahead and the availability helps and if people are annoyed, they'll get used to it. The Christmas Creep will become a way of life.
ReplyDeleteI thought the title was very creative and that the overall purpose of your post was very relevant to how Americans operate during this time of year. It is better for stores to open early because the demand for decorations and presents rises dramatically the second we leave the dinner table at Thanksgiving. What would be interesting is to see the profit firms make when they open early compared to what they make when it gets closer to the actual holiday.
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