This past weekend (November 2nd to be exact), my wife and I made a trip to SouthPark Mall here in Charlotte. Maybe it’s because I spent most of my life an hour’s drive from the nearest mall, but it threw me to hear Christmas carols playing throughout the building weeks before Thanksgiving and only days after Halloween. I love Christmas, but at this rate I feel I’ll be sick of my favorite holiday tunes before we even get our tree up.
I guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering a month ago, I noticed Target had evergreen wreaths displayed on the back wall of the Halloween section. Still, it got me thinking, what's the benefit for retailers to begin blasting “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas” when autumn leaves are still on trees?
According to research conducted by Entertainment Media Research Ltd., 95% of consumers said they prefer shopping with in-store [Christmas] music. The research also found that three quarters of respondents said hearing Christmas songs they like when shopping gets them in a festive spirit, and 1 in 4 believe they’re more generous buying presents if Christmas music they like is being played. Of course this is only one study, but that’s strong incentive for retailers to break out their “Now That’s What I Call Christmas” CD as early as possible.
However, the same survey revealed nearly 1 in 2 people felt that November is too soon to start playing Christmas music. So my original question about timing seems to be key. What do you think? Leave a message in the comments section below, or shoot us a note on the Theory House web site.