Although it’s still September (in case anyone is still keeping track of the days and months), it’s always a good idea to look ahead. Granted, planning ahead may be of a good idea or not. Nevertheless, even through the schedule is way out of whack, time still marches on as they used to say in those newsreels from back in the day!
According to a report filed by the marketing analysis firm Emarsys, some 62% of potential shoppers state that “no amount” of safety precautions will persuade them to shop in stores this Black Friday, November 27th.
Thanks to the ever present COVIG-19 antics that’s been burned into the hearts and minds of folks around the nation for its better or for its worst, people are very leery into being in places where others are in close range to one another, no matter if these same people are donning face masks or not. And since the economy is in a topsy-turvy mode (if not having its virtual head up its virtual ass), people won’t and don’t know how they are going to spend for the holiday season, if they will be shopping at all!
For those that do plan to shop, 4% plan to shop in physical stores, while 28% stated that they will do their seasonal shopping entirely online.
14% noted that social distancing will persuade them to visit physical retail stores, and only 10% would be convinced to visit by contactless purchase. And if these shoppers could receive a premium or discount to shop in store verses online, they would visit an outlet in person, according to the 19% that replied as tallied in the Emarsys research report.
The holiday season is going to arrive no matter what may or may not happen thanks to the virus of the year (or decade?) However, as of this writing, it’s going to be a tough call now that late fall and early winter is going to keep folks clustered indoors and thus, harder to spread six feet away from one another.
Also, nobody is going to predict how the domestic economy is going to change things. When the start of the so-called “Great Recession” was taking hold in the latter months of 2009, people decided to scale back on their seasonal shopping matters. Many of them did this ploy for the longer run. That is, keeping an eye on their budget that year, and the many years that followed. Even when the economy got back to a more normal stance (as recently as one year ago this time), shoppers were still being careful on how they shopped, as well as who they were shopping for i.e. family, friends, or even for themselves.
But with economics, predictions were a bit easier to make thanks to various forms to facts and figures that tend to come of from this vogue. But if one has a virus to bring into its center stage, it’s always going to become a tough call. Various reports note that a cure to this form of organic matter may not be found until next year. Other reports note that it may be found in ’22. Maybe in ’23. Maybe by 2030(!) Again, it all depends on who one refers to!
And there is the big-deal election to take in mind! Already, there are a lot of tempers that are on high mode. And with social justice adding to the mix, it’s going to add a lot of anxiety into play. And there is the weather to keep in step. Granted, there weather related elements are limited in place into a regional area, such as hurricanes in the southwest portion of the US, and wildfires in northern California. Nevertheless, with all of these factors into play, the notion of shopping freely for the “festive” season is going to change things rather drastically. If may be for the moment, or it may be for good!
Don’t be too surprised that retailers will start off their holiday season as early as this week! With nearly everyone that has a cell phone owns one of the smart variety, there are lots of apps out their to make that shopping a whole lot easier without stepping into a retail store. Free delivery will make it happen, as well as pick up in store without actually entering the store. (i.e. Curbside!) It’s going to be an interesting holiday season this year, no matter if it’s dreaming of a white Christmas, or an online version of the same song!
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