Is it time to start holiday shopping yet?
Once again a number of men have landed themselves in the penalty box for poor holiday shopping habits.
Christmas is only a week away, but according to a survey from the National Retail Federation, nearly one in five men had yet to begin his holiday shopping.
That's hardly shocking news. Men have long been procrastinators in the holiday shopping department. And lately many shrewd shoppers have joined them. The theory is that retailers start panicking as Christmas gets closer and offer their biggest discounts and bargains in the final days before Dec. 25.
In contrast to procrastinators, the federation noted that 25 million consumers, or 11.7 percent of the shopping public, have already finished their holiday shopping,
Whether in search of great last-minute deals or not, male procrastinators will likely throng jewelry stores and Victoria's Secret stores on Christmas Eve once again as they look for small, portable gifts that can be purchased with a minimum of fuss.
That's one reason why Tracy Mullin, president and chief executive of the National Retail Federation, can confidently predict a busy final stretch of this year's holiday shopping season.
Said Mullin in a statement, “The last-minute rush will be busier than ever this year, and retailers are preparing by expanding employee schedules, keeping shelves stocked, and extending store hours.”
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)
