Hark! Anthropologie Heralds Christmas in September

If you felt odd about the Christmas retail push starting as soon as Thanksgiving was over, you might want to avoid New York City’s Upper West Side this weekend.

Anthropologie is ringing in the holiday season extra early this year, with its Holiday House, showcasing products for the December festivities, having opened its doors Tuesday (Sept. 17).

“This holiday season, we are thrilled to expand our holiday house experience, presenting it on a larger scale than ever before,” Anthropologie Group CMO Elizabeth Preis said in a press release. “This year’s showhouse boasts more spaces, an expanded product range, and enhanced design elements.”

The “fully shoppable” pop-up, which will remain open through Sunday (Sept. 22), is done in partnership with creative director and interior designer Glen Proebstel. It features holiday furniture and decor from Anthropologie and from its fellow URBN-owned retailer Terrain, all bearing QR codes to purchase them online. In addition to extending holiday sales, the move also aims to drive loyalty program adoption, with appointments being exclusively open to AnthroPerks members.

The move comes as consumers, amid ongoing economic challenges, are being thoughtful about how they spend on gifts. Many are planning ahead in an effort to best manage their budgets. The “Consumers Cautiously Spend More Amid Lower Inflation” edition of the PYMNTS Intelligence “Consumer Inflation Sentiment” examined how financial pressures affected consumers’ gift shopping last holiday season. The report revealed that, among the 77% of consumers who spent money on gifts during the 2023 holiday season, 56% said they had already decided what to buy for most or all purchases before going shopping.

Anthropologie is not the only merchant looking to capture the holiday spending of pre-planners. Retail giants Amazon and Walmart are squaring off for gift shoppers’ early spending as well. In early October, the former has its “Prime Big Deal Days” two-day event offering early discounts on holiday products.

“We’re gearing up for another exciting holiday shopping season, filled with unbeatable deals on beloved brands, seasonal products, and popular gifts available exclusively for Prime members,” Jamil Ghani, Amazon’s vice president of Prime worldwide, commented. “Whether Prime members are hoping to cross items off their gift lists early, looking forward to hosting joyful gatherings, or scoring something special for themselves, Prime Big Deal Days is here for all their holiday needs and more.”

Not to be outdone, Walmart’s early holiday shopping sale, announced Thursday (Sept. 19), starts Oct. 8, the same day as Amazon’s. However, it runs several days longer, ending on the 13. The Holiday Deals event features discounts on popular gifts and seasonal decorations.

These sales events come as the merchants aim to capture consumers’ holiday splurges, with eCommerce spending for the season estimated to increase by 2.3% to 3.3%

While some may feel nostalgic for a slower, more traditional start to the season, the trend toward early shopping reflects the evolving landscape of consumer behavior, where financial pressures prompt more thoughtful spending. As the competition for holiday dollars heats up, it’s evident that the race to capture the spirit of giving starts long before the first snow falls.

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