Everyone likes a little retail therapy in their lives. Shopping for fun is something most people look forward to, but it can also become a chore or an obligation. Especially this time of year, people are flocking to their nearest online or brick-and-mortar retailer for holiday gifts. Here are some fun shopping facts to put the spring back in your step before you brave the Christmas rush.
Placement Matters
Ever wonder why big department stores like John Lewis, Selfridges and Marks & Spencer are always on opposite ends of an indoor shopping centre? It’s so you have to pass all the other stores to go from one to another. Escalators are also strategically placed to give shoppers a view of the greatest possible number of stores as they pass from one level to the next. Plus, you’ve probably noticed that it’s very easy to get lost in those big retailers—they’re designed that way to keep you shopping longer.
Busy Days
The busiest day of the holiday season is the Saturday before Christmas and Boxing Day. So if you’re a last-minute shopper, avoid the crowd and drop by the stores on a different day, although don’t forget you can do much of your shopping online using catalogues. Say goodbye to lining up at 5 A.M. with a turkey hangover! Of those shoppers who do venture out for for Boxing Day sales, most say they are willing to wait in line for two and a half hours for a great deal.
Shop Psychology
Many retailers are designed with hard floors of marble or wood because it is believed that women will be more likely to make purchases if they hear their heels clicking on hard surfaces. Carpeted stores, on the other hand, are made to be more comforting and inviting to consumers. Also, big retailers place their merchandise close to the entrance to encourage customers to touch. Touching the merch=bigger sales.
Shopping centres also contain lots of corners and bends because typically shoppers won’t walk toward a store that appears to be farther away than a tenth of a mile. Music is also a big factor—stores play slower tempo tunes to get consumers to walk more slowly, and consequently spend more time in the store. Fast music makes people want to get in and out quickly, and they wind up spending less.
Sticky Fingers
Due largely to increased traffic in malls, shoplifting increases noticeably during the holiday season. Around £978 million in revenue will be lost to the ol’ five finger discount this winter. Shoplifters take advantage of big crowds (and big coats) to make off with merchandise this time of year.
Despite the dent in profits, known in the industry as “shrinkage,” retailers still make a pretty penny. Reasons for this vary, from decreased shopping budgets to needing an adrenaline boost to get over holiday blues. Merchandise tags, improved surveillance, and store detectives are employed to prevent the inevitable losses in revenue. Despite their best efforts, retail crime over Christmas will cost each household a total of £37.04 per family.
Shoppers
Statistically, women who spend lots of time shopping tend to have fewer wrinkles and better overall mood than those who don’t hang out at shopping centres. This is because shopping, like any pleasurable activity, activates dopamine receptors in the brain, relieving stress. Just don’t max out that credit card for a fix!
The average woman will also spend 25,184 hours shopping in her lifetime. Better wear some comfortable shoes. Six percent of Brits consider themselves “compulsive shoppers” who exhibit addictive behavior. This affects men and women in equal numbers, despite stereotypes of shopaholic women.
Shop Stats
More interesting facts about shopping centres: The massive Mall of America has its own postal code. The average shopper spends about 80 minutes in the mall and drops $75 per visit. The MetroCentre, is UK’s world’s largest centre, with around 340 stores located in 2,093,000 square feet. During the holiday shopping season, large retail chains will pump “Christmassy” smells like cinnamon and roasted chestnuts through the retail space because hungry shoppers tend to buy more.
Spending Stats
The typical shopper spends around £480 on holiday gifts each festive winter season. Talk about getting in the spirit! 29% of shoppers also get their Christmas deals on before Halloween even comes. Now online shoppers also typically research around 12 sources of information before making a purchase, up from previous years. Much of this research was done on Youtube. 40% of holiday spending happens within 10 days of Christmas, so if you’re a last-minute shopper you aren’t alone.
Popular Gifts
The gifts projected to be most popular in 2014 are the usual suspects: clothes, appliances, electronics, and luxury goods like perfume. This is the time of year when people make big purchases. For example, holiday tablet and smartphone sales have gone up threefold since 2011.
As consumers regain confidence, they are more comfortable buying big-ticket items for loved ones (and themselves) this holiday season. Gift cards, unsurprisingly, are among the most popular purchases this time of year as well. Some more unique gift ideas include a combination MP3 player and turntable for the audiophile in your life, and the sunrise-simulator alarm clock for those of you who just can’t seem to muster the energy to get up and at ‘em this shopping season.