By George Anderson
We know that the holiday rush can fray nerves. But that's not the only thing that makes consumers cranky. According to a new study, shoppers resent the feeling they are being pushed into the winter holidays by product displays going up months in advance.
The research, conducted by Yankelovich Partners, found 36 percent of consumers say they don't enjoy shopping as much because of the pressure to buy.
"We refer to it as season treason," J. Walker Smith, president of Yankelovich Partners told The New York Times. "Getting too aggressive about trying to engage people in the holiday season before they take in the pumpkins may dilute some of the anticipation and some of the excitement."
"People want to spend," said Mr. Smith, "but there is still enough uncertainty around that they're being a little watchful."
"That will require retailers to think about engaging consumers in a more substantial way," he added, "not so they get turned off by all the marketing that goes on but so they will feel connected to the season."
Moderator's Comment: Does the consumer aversion to displays going up too early for the holidays have an impact in terms of how shoppers perceive a retailer or how much they purchase from a store? How can retailers engage consumers in a more substantial way for the holidays as recommended by J. Walker Smith? - George Anderson - Moderator