Customers should get used to Christmas coming early yearly

Today’s marketers ensure that even before Americans don their Halloween costumes, they step into their jingle bell-tipped slippers and directly into the holiday season.

Nowadays, the American consumer is bombarded with holiday ads starting as early as October, or even September in rare cases. There are early-bird sales, pre-holiday deals, exclusive coupons and special offers available in preparation for a day that won’t arrive for another two months.

The commercialization of Christmas is evident, but as snowflakes and mistletoe sneak into mid-autumn commercials, it seems like Christmas is arriving at an earlier time each year.

“The simple fact (is) that it is the one holiday that is dominated by various forms of purchasing ‘things’ for every possible demographic,” said Mark Wolters, visiting assistant professor of business administration, who specializes in marketing. “Halloween has candy and costumes. Easter has eggs … the Christmas season allows for multiple demographics to be sold to.”

Premature advertising may not be as common for other holidays. Imagine Flag Day being advertised two months before its June 14 date. Department stores would be decked out in flags in April — colorful flags, country flags, paper flags, every type of banner or streamer. It may seem like a ridiculous notion, but that’s precisely what happens each year for the Christmas season.

“I like hearing Christmas music (beginning around) Thanksgiving, but everything else is just so very commercialized,” said Tabitha Nelson, sophomore in FAA. “You sometimes hear about something new, but then the rest of the time, you’re just getting annoyed by the same commercials over and over.”

Nelson is not alone in her irritations concerning this “Christmas in October” market phenomenon.

“Surveys show that consumers actually dislike the fact that stores are putting out their Christmas wares so early,” Wolters said. “The Wal-Mart in Savoy could be seen putting up Christmas décor as early as the end of September.”

Despite consumers’ pleas against an early influx of holiday spirit, companies continue to push the envelope on the perceived length of “Christmas season.” Target ran the first major Christmas ad on television this year in mid-October, according to inquisitr.com

This begs the question, why would retail stores and other companies continue with such early advertising if the consumers don’t even like it?

In an email, Wolters gives three main reasons why companies still do this: inventory management, changing of shoppers’ mentalities and building up the Christmas spirit.

First, he said, the stores have a higher chance of selling goods before Christmas (and before the post-Christmas markdowns) if they display them earlier. Next, the stores make shoppers believe that if they do not buy their presents early, they may not be able to get them at all, and they would be out of stock by mid to late December. Finally, companies attempt to fill up the autumn marketing gap with holiday deals, thus extending the holiday season.

“So why not get the Christmas spirit early?” Wolters said. “Firms earn more money, reduce inventory (and) take up space in their seasonal area.”

Marketing logic, however, does not always flow smoothly from the business perspective to the customers’ thoughts.

“I understand for sales reasons,” said Timothy Johnson, freshman in FAA. “But for the spirit reasons … it’s like (the companies) are saying, ‘Forget Thanksgiving. It’s more about the presents now.’”

Mel Riley, also a freshman in FAA, said that maybe if Black Friday didn’t exist, companies wouldn’t have a reason to advertise quite so early for the holidays.

Maybe companies will change their tactics in later years and start the Christmas season later. Until then, whether customers like it or not, they are going to have to put up with candy canes mixed in with Halloween candy.

Reema can be reached at [email protected].