Christmas Shopping

Biggest Cyber Monday Ever

January 5, 2018 By Twila Van Leer

The phenomenon that has changed the face of shopping in American — doing it online — proved itself well entrenched when Cyber Monday took place on the first Monday after Thanksgiving. When all the calculations are completed, the day devoted to electronics-related items may well have set new records.

Adobe Analytics, the research arm of giant software maker Adobe, reported that as of 4:30 p.m. on Cyber Monday, some $3.4 billion in sales had been recorded, a 17 percent increase over the 2016 Cyber Monday. Web traffic from mobile devices also took an uptick, surpassing desktop computers for the first time. Even a seasoned expert such as Frank Yanover, retired Amazon exec, found he could be persuaded by what they found online. He bought a Vitamix blender for $300, a $200 discount. He also succumbed to a deal from Best Buy for an iPad, ordering by phone and then picking it up from a nearby store. He finished up his unscheduled online spree with his voice-activated Echo by purchasing Amazon’s Echo Dot for $30 — a $20 reduction.

Echo Dot was, in fact, Amazon’s top-selling electronic item for Cyber Monday, followed by Fire TV board games, Fingerlings and Legos over in the kid’s section.

At eBay, they were selling a $745 Apple MacBook Air every five seconds. J.C. Penney reported its top-selling Website item were towels, $25 diamond stud earrings and Liz Claiborne handbags (which, incidentally, features a built-in phone charger. What’ll they think of next?)

Walmart, which has been trying to play catch-up with Amazon, offered three times the number of items online that it did last year, but Amazon appeared likely to retain the record, with 50 percent of all online sales growth this year.

Overall the most popular items sold online during Cyber Monday were computers and small electronics, followed by clothing, according to America’s Research
Group. Ease of shipping is a factor.

People who actually showed up in a store were almost the exception. Parking areas in some of the most popular stores were only half full as shoppers stayed away in droves to do their shopping in the convenience of their homes or offices. Of course, for those who still want the store experience, that means fewer shoppers to compete with.

Holiday Sales Grow From 2016

December 30, 2017 By Twila Van Leer

The 2017 holiday shopping season appears to be a very good one for America’s retailers, many of whom have not had much reason in recent years to be merry. The successful end-of-the-year selling shows that traditional retailers are adapting to the shift to online buying.

The tax overhaul recently passed by Congress could signal more shifts in shopping as ordinary Americans figure out how the changes might affect them and their ability to spend. If they are in the brackets that might benefit from the tax re-do, they might spend more. Or they might put the “savings” into savings.

As the year wound down, it appeared that the 2017 holiday season would stack up very well against previous years. One factor is that unemployment is at a 17-year low, contributing to the highest level of consumer optimism in years. The current spending spree is the most intense since the recession that is now about 10 years in the past.

Consumers are not only spending more this year, but they are putting more of their money into electronics, clothing and toys to a greater extent, according to the National Retail Federation. The federation noted with elation that the week before Christmas, the most critical time for retailers, saw a lot of traffic in stores. Many retailers see 20 percent of their foot traffic during that week. The fact that there was a full weekend immediately before Christmas also boded well for the industry, as late shoppers continued to flood the stores in search of last-minute gifts and stocking stuffers.

Most online shoppers have completed their buying before the last week to allow time for deliveries. They then are more likely to show up in the stores, bypassing the convenience of online shopping for the assurance that their gifts will be on time. Even so, the numbers of shoppers buying online continues to grow. Now, the growth in online sales is about double that level at stores, according to First Data, a payment technology firm. Online giant Amazon accounts for a considerable amount of the growth. Amazon has expanded into new areas, putting more categories of retailers on alert. The firm reported that its Cyber Monday sales tallied the highest in its history. Estimates are that Amazon accounted for more than 60 percent of the total sales for that day.

Some families have begun exchanging “wish lists” before the holidays, consisting of many web links. The shopping then becomes easier and the satisfaction with gifts more consistent.

Stores are responding to the online onslaught by offering more weekend deals and upping their loyalty programs.

Holiday Spending And Stress

December 22, 2017 By Twila Van Leer

If it’s getting to you, coming up with ideas for just-right gifts compounded with worry about what the spending will do to your finances when the holidays are over, read on for eight tips on how to cope.

Set limits on spending. Look on it as an opportunity to get your budget in shape. Let reason reign. It’s a simple fact that you can’t spend more than is available and stay on an even keel. Your gift-buying budget just can’t be allowed to dip into the bills you must routinely pay. If you feel you must have a little more to spend, it has to come from such things as eating out, entertainment, etc. that are expendable.

Make your own “naughty and nice” lists. You aren’t Santa. You don’t have to give to everyone in the world. If you still compelled to spread holiday cheer, bake some cookies, make some fudge or put your talents to work on simple gifts that don’t deplete the budget.

Budget realistically. Consider your place in life at the moment. If you are paying off student (or other) loans, for instance, let that guide your buying choices. Remember that your parents and other older people on your list got where they are through years of working and being careful of spending. Likely, their gift-giving was more modest then.

Coupon. The stores are full of bargains for the holiday shopping frenzy, but don’t overlook the potential for additional savings in online purchases by doing a quick web search for coupon codes for your favorite online outlets. Look through the advertising that arrives in your mailbox during the holidays. Comparison shop for the items you intend to buy.

Give time instead of gifts. Some of your family and friends would value a visit that includes little gifts and lots of hugs. Consider calling cards that will give them the opportunity to chat despite the miles between you.

Develop better spending habits. For every dollar you spend on gifts, try to squeeze out a way to offset that dollar by economizing somewhere else in the budget. If you can keep the budget even, there will be more to save at the end of the season. Or put the difference into a special savings account that will ease your way through the next holiday surge.

Give personalized gifts that are of more value to the recipient than something expensive but not so meaningful. If you have special talents, share them. Bake a cake or pie for a family member who is kitchen “impaired.” Give a friend a kitchen tool and a recipe for something he or she particularly likes. Make a personalized card – anything that speaks of you.

Organize group volunteer efforts. It’s likely your friends are coping with the same holiday challenges you are. Get together and spend a day at a local charity instead of giving gifts. You’ll spend quality time together and get an infusion of the spirit of the holiday. Take photos of the volunteer project and share them after the fact.

Bottom line: Don’t let debt rob you of the joy of sharing. A year-long headache as you struggle to repay is not worth it. If you can come out of the spending season with your finances intact, it will be the greatest gift you can give yourself.

Don’t Overlook These Credit Card Benefits

December 6, 2017 By Twila Van Leer

Wisely used, your credit card could help with your holiday expenses. The trick is to control your spending and to use your credit card “extras” to make your credit go farther.

First off, consider “zero liability.” Identity theft is a serious problem today and protecting your information is imperative. A credit card or cards that offer zero liability can be one step toward that goal. They allow you to quickly freeze your account if you have any hints that things are not right. With some cards, this protection is built in if the issuer detects purchases that seem out of step with your usual practices. The inconvenience that you might suffer if they are wrong in refusing a purchase on your card is nothing compared with the damage that can be done by a thief using your card.

If travel is part of your holiday plans, you can get collision damage insurance on a rental car at no cost. It is included if you use your credit card to pay for the rental, according to the Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking. Otherwise, you may be charged $10 to $20 per day for the insurance. Consumer Reports notes that rental companies can hold drivers liable for anything that happens to the vehicle during the rental period. If something happens to the vehicle after you have returned it to the rental company but before they have done their inspection, you could be charged for that damage. Using a credit card to complete the transaction before driving off the lot prevents such an event. Decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver coverage.

Visa credit card holders also have a pay-per-use option for roadside dispatch in the event of a problem. If you are stranded while traveling, you’ll save money with this option. For $69.95, you are assured towing, tire-changing, jump-starting, lockout service, fuel delivery or winching services.

Most credit cards offer perks such as a rewards program. That’s especially attractive during the increased shopping that most people do during the holidays. Look for such perks when you choose a charge card. Caution: Don’t let the fact that you get a small cash rebate on credit card purchases push you into buying more than you had planned. It’s too easy to let the shopping get ahead of you.

Matching Pajamas New Holiday Trend

December 2, 2017 By Twila Van Leer

Ever since “Mama in her kerchief and I in my cap” became a holiday standard (Moore’s “Twas the Night Before Christmas) the idea of special holiday jammies has been part of the fun. And as Christmas 2017 presses into view, it is clear that dressing the family up in marching night togs has become a tradition for many. Move over, ugly sweater. You have been replaced in the holiday wardrobe.

The debate begins early. By November, the argument for stripes (think candy cane colors) or a cutesy print ala Yuletide style is front and center and the decision about to be made. Sometimes even holiday visitors are expected to tog up for the family photo.

PajamaGram and Hanna Anderson have jumped aboard the bandwagon and Burt Bees Baby is taking care of the juvenile end of the craze. Oprah has touted the latter as one of her favorites this holiday.

Target reports escalating pajama sales every year since 2013 and has stocked accordingly. The retail giant says it is offering 22 patterns this season and, just to cover the waterfront, offers some of them in styles for dogs and dolls. Walmart expects to repeat previous successes with its offering of one-piece, zip-up jammies for adults. New this year are designs with polar bears on skis and Santa aboard a unicorn.

Even families that can’t get together geographically for the big day will be togged in their matching sleepwear, sharing the fun via video calls, photos and other media means. In fact, some families who were into the fad before it became a fad are wondering why it took the rest of the world so long to catch on to the craze.

One mom who has decked her children with matching nightwear for years thinks it is the media that has spread the mania. “It’s just that now it’s a lot more visible because everyone can see our pictures on Instagram,” she said.

Jonah Berger, marketing professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, agrees. “It used to be that your uncle did this on a Christmas card, but you only got to see it if you were on his mailing list. Now, it’s a classic case of Internet one-ups-manship. Who can come up with the best matching pajamas and show the world that they’re a good parent?” Berger is author of the book, “Contagious: Why Things Catch On.”