Christmas looks set to be very different this year. And shopping for the festive season has also changed, with consumers being more savvy and more prepared than ever before, potentially signalling the end of the last minute Christmas shopper.
This is according to a new survey and retail giant John Lewis said UK consumers are determined to indulge in the festive spirit early – and that still includes a trip to the high street to do Christmas shopping.
The survey, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of John Lewis, found that almost a third of those surveyed said they were planning Christmas earlier than usual this year. This is certainly reflected in the record sales figures we are already seeing for September and October.
John Lewis Christmas shop sales are up 63 per cent on last year, it said.
In the survey, 60 per cent of people said they will have their Christmas shopping done by the end of November; just over eight per cent said they would wait until the week before Christmas this year; and less than two per cent said they would wait until Christmas Eve.
In addition, nearly a quarter of people said they have already visited shops to do Christmas shopping and of those who said they were planning Christmas early this year, 47 per cent said spreading the cost was a big factor behind this.
Elsewhere, more than 20 per cent of those surveyed said they were already thinking about how they can entertain people virtually as well as at home or what will be the backdrop to their video calls.
Dan Cooper, Christmas Buyer for John Lewis, said: “There seems to be a determination to end the year on a positive note and indulge in the festive spirit earlier than ever. People are giving more thought to how they stay in touch with friends and family and how they can make someone’s Christmas that bit more special.
“Shoppers are understandably wanting to capture as much of the traditional experience and celebrations as possible. And for many that includes a trip to the shops, so we have put effort into ensuring our customers know they can shop easily and safely for everything they need under one roof.”
