The Christmas Shopping Experience: 2020 Style

Shop ‘Til You Drop – Christmas Edition

Despite the bright light displays and festive decorations, most of the time Christmas shopping isn’t as idyllic as we hope. We all know how Christmas shopping creates madness and havoc every year as people flock to the streets on the hunt for the perfect gift. Whether you’re the calm and collected type who always has a list to hand or the type to start your Christmas shopping in the days leading up to Christmas (or the day before). Never the less, this time of year is usually characterised by overwhelming crowds and people queued out of the shop doors.

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Despite how much we try to avoid it, last minute Christmas shopping is inevitable. We always find ourselves running to get finishing touches and according to Mintel, 76% of people in the UK continue to make purchases right up until Christmas. Despite all the stress, UK consumers love Christmas shopping! In reality, our arms are heavy from dragging around shopping bags and it’s never a successful Christmas shop unless you come home completely exhausted. However, our Christmas shopping experience will be very different this year.

Expectation vs Reality…

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Keep Calm, Christmas is Coming

2020 has been a difficult year for everyone and according to Mintel, 77% of consumers believe that it’s more important than ever to have a good Christmas this year to make up for the events of 2020. This increases the pressure to give the perfect gift this year.

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The announcement that restrictions will continue until 11th December means that many consumers will opt to shop online. However, the potential reopening of stores may promote a Christmas rush, which is dangerous for consumers and retailers. Postal services have slowed down during the pandemic, which creates issues for last minute shopping. To add to this, during Christmas, postal delivery times are often unreliable, which may urge consumers to take to the shops in the run up to Christmas. Consumers who don’t use technology will also suffer as they’re not familiar with or don’t have access to online shopping.

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How to Avoid The Nightmare Before Christmas

There’s something about the obligatory shopping trip to Belfast at Christmas that unleashes your Christmas spirit. Walking around the shops and seeing the Christmas displays, decorations and lights that just adds to the Christmas build up. You also cannot forget to pick up a sweet treat and hot drink (or something a little stronger) from The Christmas Markets. However, shoppers are urged to shop early this Christmas to avoid the Christmas rush and increased COVID19 cases.

Many shoppers usually opt to shop in-store to benefit from professional help as experienced staff are on hand to give advice. This is a feature that online stores cannot fully replicate. Help from a sales advisor makes choosing a gift easier and is less overwhelming, compared to the wide amount of choice available online. Another advantage of shopping in-store is that consumers are able to feel and test the quality of products. This is important for gift shopping as consumers want to see the product before they buy to prevent unnecessary returns. Security online during the Christmas period is particularly important as scammers try to take advantage of consumers.

To avoid any mishaps, it’s important to be prepared this year. By shopping online, we can shop at our own convenience, from the comfort of our homes and avoid long queues. Primark in Belfast has been criticised for crowds gathered outside, before further COVID19 restrictions are introduced. Online shopping prevents this, whilst providing a safe platform for consumers during the pandemic. Consumers can save money in the run up to Christmas by shopping online as it’s easier to compare prices. Online retailers also offer discounts and sales which aren’t available in-store. By shopping from a department store like Debenhams, consumers can purchase all their gifts from the same place, saving on delivery costs. If you’re a Christmas procrastinator, then click and collect services are perfect for you! They limit the time spent in-store whilst still receiving your gifts in time for Christmas.  

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Save Time and Money – Splash the Cash on Black Friday

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If you’re shopping online this Christmas, it’s useful to get involved in big sale events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. They’re a great way to avoid the Christmas rush whilst getting guaranteed Christmas delivery. The US tradition has become increasingly popular within the UK in the last 10 years, and is continuing to grow each year. According to Mintel, 70% of Black Friday shoppers use the event to purchase their Christmas presents.

Shop Local This Christmas

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We tend to shop at large chains for convenience reasons however, they’ve benefited from the pandemic unlike small local businesses. There’s been an emphasis on social media to shop local this Christmas by supporting local retailers. Small businesses often make personalised, hand-made gifts that come from the heart, with extensive time and effort put into making the gift. Why not create a gift hamper, filled with products from local businesses. You can create a unique gift that’s heartfelt and has an extra personal touch. Christmas is known as a time of giving back, so by shopping local, you can help small businesses to survive, whilst supporting your local community and creating jobs.

Support Local NI has been set up to encourage NI consumers to shop locally. Click here, to view their gift guide which is useful to find exactly what you’re looking for.

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Lauren Campbell is a final year BSc in Communication Management and Public Relations student at Ulster University. She can be found on Instagram and Linkedin.