Christmas season is probably the biggest and most profitable season for most retail companies. Every year, right after Halloween, retailers bring out their reds, greens, whites, anything related to Christmas in anyway to start setting the mood for Christmas shopping! You can walk through the mall and see decorations everywhere and as December approaches, you may even spot some Christmas trees and some -not so little- elves!
Even at my part-time job at Hollister, employees are given discounts for red coloured clothing and there are sign up sheets posted up to sign up for shifts to help out with the Christmas floor set. During Christmas season, shopper’s decision processes are affected by the situation. Also because Christmas is a tradition, families will buy gifts for other families, friends, etc. Its very optimistic and it affects the mood of the consumers and usually ends up influencing them to buy and spend more for this special occasion.
It is a very good marketing plan to redecorate just for Christmas and repackage products to look Christmas like or to even offer gift wrapping. It is not just clothing or toy stores that redecorate and market for Christmas, but coffee shops like Starbucks do too!
Starbucks redesigns their signature coffee cups and makes them red for Christmas and they also offer limited Holiday coffees such as Peppermint Mocha, Gingerbread Latte and all the other ones that put you in the mood for Christmas while making you feel warm in the cold. Currently they have even put in a promotion : from 2-5pm buy one get one free holiday drink! What an awesome deal! For more detail about Starbucks Christmas promotions visit Julia Chiu’s blog