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Inflation-sick shoppers can see more holiday sales and discounts in 2022

People walk stores making sales at a shopping mall in Santa Anita, California on December 20, 2021.

Frederick J. Brown | AFP | Getty Images

Food and energy prices soarand credit card interest rates are rising, shoppers can expect some peace of mind once they start holiday shopping.

Retailers are expected to step up their promotions as they struggle to get rid of already discounted excess inventory as they desperately try to entice inflation-weary consumers to spend.

“This year will be the year of Christmas perpetual trading,” said Marshall Cohen, chief industry adviser at market research firm NPD Group.

According to Adobe Analytics, which tracks online sales, in some gift categories, a retailer’s website can mark down items by 20% or more. Computers, electronics and toys are all expected to hit the steepest discount levels since Adobe began tracking numbers in 2017.

The abundance of deals is very different from a year ago. Last holiday season, shoppers started buying gifts early to avoid out-of-stocks and delivery delays. Concerns over the availability of hot items meant that consumers were willing to pay.

However, retailers have plenty of merchandise this year. Shoppers are reluctant to spend as they pay more for food, housing, healthcare and other items. Inflation hits 40-year highpeople too spend more money on travel 2+ years of experience COVID limit.

Even with significant discounts, industry watchers Expect a Quiet Holiday Season This is because household budgets are growing. Consulting firm Bain & Co. forecasts a whopping 7.5% growth from last holiday season, but only 1% to 3% when adjusted for inflation.Consulting firm Alix Partners predicts he will see a 4% to 7% year-on-year increase in sales, which is a decline considering this. Current inflation rate of 8.2% y/y.

“The cost of food, health care, housing and shelter. Essential services like veterinary care and childcare,” said Leo Ferrer, chief economist at market research firm Numerator. “All of these things take precedence before consumers buy holiday gifts.”

In addition, customers may not even want some of the items the retailer sells. According to Adobe, demand for computers, the category expected to see the highest discounts during the holiday season, has cooled. HP, Dell When lenovo Have All reported a drop in PC shipments.

The return of deep discounts will be a tough pill for businesses to swallow. Retailers’ profit margins are being squeezed as they deal with higher costs. walmart anymore, Target When best buy It lowered its profit outlook as retailers navigated a more promotional environment. Walmart management says higher-income households are trading in for cheaper groceries and may be hesitant to splurge on gifts, decorations and other holiday items. It raises concerns that there is

promotional parade

Promotional drumbeats blared this summer as shoppers lounged in the pool and headed off for their long-awaited vacation. was already in progress. More merchandise was sold during the backyard barbecue season than during the peak holiday season a year ago.

In the second week of July, 46% of units were on promotion, according to NPD Group. This topped the 41% of units promoted in his fourth week of November 2021, which kicks off the holiday shopping season.

When Amazon held Prime Day in July, Walmart Opt out of your own sales event Many of the items had already been sold.

Sales have picked up again in recent weeks. in October, Amazon We held sales events like Prime Day. It’s the first time he’s had two discount days in the same year. Target When walmart Amazon’s event was preceded by Target’s Deal Days, which coincided with Walmart’s Rollback & More event, giving it an early start.

Earlier this week, Walmart announced it would be hosting a savings event every Monday in November, starting on its website and continuing in stores.Affiliated customers Walmart+, its subscription service7 hours early access to deals and hot items.

Promotions are especially noticeable in certain categories. In the apparel and sports and outdoor categories, Walmart and Target’s September price cuts were down year-over-year, according to research firm Ipitdata, which collects data from consumer receipts and scrapes retailer websites. It has already increased significantly by comparison.

For example, Walmart sold apparel at discount rates of about 7% to about 20% in 2021 for the two weeks ending September 17th. Target sold apparel at a discount rate of about 18%. 4% in the same period last year.

A clearance sale sign is seen at a Gap retail store in Los Angeles, CA on September 20, 2022.

Alison Dinner | Getty Images

Beauty discounts, on the other hand, are few and far between. This may reflect consumers’ willingness to continue spending money on self-care and self-care. Little luxuries like lipsticks and lotions, even if you’re on a tight budget. discount level ultra beauty According to YipitData, for the two weeks ending September 17, the category remained stable or declined slightly year-on-year.

Numerator’s Feler said the level of discounts offered by retailers also depends on their customer base. For example, dollar shops and other discount stores need to be more sensitive to consumer budget constraints. However, luxury brands with higher-income customers need not adjust as much, as sales in this category have remained strong.

For shoppers like Rebecca Kirschner, the past six months of promotions are a welcome change.The New York City resident and her fiancé had just registered for the wedding, and almost everything was up for sale.

A year ago, she remembered empty shelves. This holiday her season, she’s hoping to have even more money to spend on her family and friends.

“I feel like we went from half-plates to a buffet,” said Kirshner, 33.

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/20/inflation-weary-shoppers-see-more-holiday-sales-2022.html Inflation-sick shoppers can see more holiday sales and discounts in 2022

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