Sorry if this is a bit of a rant, but I am incredibly tired of the holiday creep. I was walking through Costco the other day and they already have kids halloween costumes out on display. So, what do my kids say, but I want to get a costume for Halloween...My response, "It's July guys, we're not getting costumes". The point of this story is to ask, when should retailers put out holiday goods? IS there really anyone who plans for a holiday 3 months in advance?
I also don't agree with putting out holiday items so early. For goodness' sakes, Hallmark has already unleashed ornaments on us! Every year it gets earlier and earlier. That being said, while I don't agree with putting them out so early, I do already have my son's Halloween costume picked out. It was pretty easy this year as he is going as his favorite children's show main character. I only have it picked out because I am a planner.
I don't mind it because I see it as a natural course for businesses. Back then when stores were a lot less spread out meaning consumers only had a few choice malls to choose from, they could be a lot more timely, but as competition grows there is less of a need to be coy. I don't think 3 months in advance is that bad. I wouldn't even be surprised if in the near future they just started selling these things year round because customer demographics and behavior is always changing.
Retail stores get holiday products well in advance of the holiday season. Oftentimes, it's eating up shelve space in the stockroom. As I used to work in retail, I don't mind seeing holiday items a couple of months in advance. This year has been flying by...at least to me. Halloween isn't really that fall away. It will be here in a couple of months. If you wait too late to get a costume, then all the good ones will be taken.
I'm used to seeing them go out early like this, but honestly, this one surprises me a bit. The reason? Because they usually just swap from one holiday to the next and that's why they often come so early. In this case, though, we're in full "back to school" season which means lots of school supplies and dorm room supplies...it's still a few weeks early for Halloween even.
I know exactly what you mean!!! Last year about a week after Christmas I was at the grocery store in the frozen ice cream aisle and I walked up on a display with Easter reeses eggs!!! Easter wasn't until April!!!! I was pregnant at the time and super irritable and seriously got angry hahaha. It feels like everywhere does this lately. Also last year the Dollar Tree in my town had Christmas stuff up around the beginning of October. Ridiculous!!!!!!
If the costume is really a bargain (at least 50% cheaper) and I do have extra money to buy it then I don't mind buying it early. Though in reality, I love sewing and usually do my kid's costumes all by myself. As for the retailers, maybe they're just disposing their old stocks to clear their stock rooms preparing for the arrival of new ones (just a thought).
You have to remember, these stores are the middle men. When I was the one making purchases to resell like these businesses are, the suppliers would offer awesome deals to purchase the seasonal things early (or late, but who wants that?) and then you either store it all, which takes up valuable space or you start selling it right away. Not to mention, supply and demand. No store will do something that isn't going to benefit them. We are the ones that tell them what to with every dollar we spend. You and I may not want early costumes, but obviously selling them early has been beneficial in the past or they wouldn't bother.
I can see how ridiculous this seems, but I feel like retailers need to do this to keep up with their competition. Holidays and back to school keep getting pushed up. I think I saw back to school supplies displays in stores around the end of June. Heck stores have Christmas previews in September and a friend of mine who is management at a popular chain store said the past few years protocol was all winter holiday merchandise out right after Halloween. It feels like we're always rushing everything.
Halloween costumes are being sold now? (So funny.) Well, I guess some retailers are getting ahead start - trying to pull in business now and beat out their competition. Also, I am thinking some of them might be feeding the demands of people who plan an annual Halloween Bash. These folks probably would start gathering supplies early. I have a few friends who are really into Halloween and they begin planning for this day way in advance.
Ah, the "holiday creep". I had never heard a name put to it before, but I like it. It seems like every single year, it just gets worse and worse, too. It's like, February 15th, they put out the stuff for Easter. It is getting ridiculous. All of these beloved holidays are being turned into nothing but pure consumerism. It really has put a taint on a lot of my favorite childhood memories by spoiling the tradition.
I have seen a few Halloween things start to go up around stores now. I don't mind it really. It helps me see what they are going to have and plan for how much money I need to save up in order to get what I want. As long as they are a few months ahead it doesn't really bother me. I saw a sign on the dollar tree in my town that said how many Fridays it was until Christmas and I thought it was pushing it a little. WE don't need the oh no there's so and so days left to get presents frenzy pushed on us this early.
