The indomitable Christmas Spirit

Searching for the best deal.

Christmas isn’t about gifts (I’m going to regret writing this, mom and dad, please look away now.) And let’s face it, this economic year has, up to now, been a disaster, with movements such as ‘Occupy Wallstreet’, riots in London, debt and poverty rife throughout the world, who has the money for Christmas presents? The answer? Everyone. It’s Christmas, no matter what, we’re still human and we’ll celebrate even if only in denial. Staggering online shopping figures have emerged only reinforcing the point. comScore, an online research company have reported online sales totaling $26.8 billion from the beginning of November to the 12th of December 2011, a 15% increase on this time last year in the US. (Please note, that these figures only apply to the Western world.)

And of course retailers and advertisers alike are gorging themselves on our collective indomitable Christmas spirit. Advertising jargon is being invented as we speak. Advertising terms such as ‘Cyber Monday’ and ‘Green Monday’ are only intended to fuel the online shopping frenzy. The theory behind these Monday themed catchphrases is that every Monday in December will be a milestone in online spending, and up until this point marketers and retailers have been pushing these concepts. So far, so good. According to statistics, ‘Cyber Monday’, coined as the peak day for online spending did not disappoint. With the largest surge in online spending on this day, the 28th November, comScore reported a 22% increase from last year. Even though most of these statistics reflect international spending, the idea of online Christmas shopping seems to be booming.

Why this online shopping craze? Well, lets look at the statistics:
- Most Cyber Monday shopping will be done from home (84%) and the balance will be done from work (for those willing to admit to it). (Source: PriceGrabber)
- On Cyber Monday in the US, PayPal recorded a sixfold increase in mobile sales compared to last year.
- 350 million hours shopping online in December, 8hours 45minutes per person. (Source: Experian Hitwise)
- Britons will spend £13.4 billion in cyber shops this Christmas. Mobile phone purchases will make up 12% of online spending. (Source: Centre for Retail Research)
- One in four consumers frequently or always use a mobile device to compare prices while shopping in a store, and 64% do so at least occasionally. (Source: Kellogg Shopper Index)
- Almost 85% of retailers (in the US) will send an email to their customers on Black Friday deals, up from 80% last year. (Source: Shop.org)

Four things:
1. Online shopping is convenient, you can do it from your home, from work, and you will be avoiding the queues.
2. People have become informed shoppers, they can compare prices online and find the better deal without doing the footwork.
3. Retailers are utilising their online capabilities to reach the consumer.
4. And finally, the writing is on the wall, we’re spending more money online than ever before.

The ‘informed shopper’ however, seems to be a daunting concept for most retailers. The statistics on online shopping this festive season is merely a symptom of the steady erosion of retailer power. In these uncertain economic times, its time to get smart, and retailers have done just that with these new shopping dates. Even the term ‘Cyber Monday’, was invented by Shop.org as a marketing ploy in 2005. Guardian reporter, Polly Curtis, offers an insightful article on Cyber Monday activities.. She concludes that even though it is true that people are spending more money online than in the past, has that not been the trend through the board in all areas this year? The point that I’m struggling to get to, is that once again advertisers are trying to mess with our minds, creating fictitious marketing days, merely to inspire greater spending. And yet, I don’t find it as threatening as in previous posts.

The creation of these Red-letter days have me picturing a floundering ship. There are just too many of these ‘themed days’ now. Retailers are getting desperate, they’re loosing control as consumers are turning to the internet for product details, prices and better deals. Consider how many of us have Facebook, LinkedIn or even Google Plus profiles. We are championing our individualism. The herd-mentality is waning, we don’t need to be told which day to shop on, our shopping habits are not dictated by shop hours, or having items in stock, we’ll find it online.

Meanwhile, back at the metaphorical ranch, South Africa is sadly behind in the online shopping game, not only are we spending less than anyone else on Christmas but we are very behind in offering online shopping opportunities. An article by Luke McKend on bizcommunity bemoans our e-Commerce market. However, I remain optimistic, historically, we’ve always been a bit slow to catch on and while our online market is relatively small, the potential remains as demonstrated in this article.

The fact is, Christmas will always be Christmas, no matter how many or how few presents there are beneath the tree. It’s about being there, with family, sharing food and wine. Merry Christmas and have a Jolly New Year!

One Last thing…

I leave you this Christmas with the advise - be vigilant in your consumption, and follow these 6 easy online Christmas shopping Tips:
1. Confirm your delivery dates, as this could be the difference between a Christmas day with or without the presents.
2. Check the terms and conditions, make sure you don’t get taken for a ride.
3. Pay by credit card, you get valuable extra insurance protection.
4. Know your rights.
5. Stand your ground. (if you have a valid point)
6. Check whether your items are in stock.