# Xmas stuff in shops



## paulatt (Oct 28, 2002)

Shops are full of Xmas cards, wrapping paper, chocs, gift ideas, etc, etc
Why? 
It's only the beginning of October.


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## racer (Feb 3, 2003)

Guilty. ;D
I work in Seasonal Supply Chain Management for a major retailer (over 1000 stores) and it is my job to get this stuff in stores during August and September. Mission accomplished ;D
Remember, 'if you buy 2 gifts you will get the third free'


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## ronin (Sep 6, 2003)

cant we at least get halloween and bonfire night out the way first !


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

And my birthday!!


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## ronin (Sep 6, 2003)

> And my birthday!!


sorry - forgot about the most important one !


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## pgm (May 7, 2002)

> Guilty. ;D
> I work in Seasonal Supply Chain Management for a major retailer (over 1000 stores) and it is my job to get this stuff in stores during August and September. Mission accomplished ;D
> Remember, 'if you buy 2 gifts you will get the third free'


 [smiley=santa.gif] [smiley=rifle.gif]


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## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

> Guilty. ;D
> I work in Seasonal Supply Chain Management for a major retailer (over 1000 stores) and it is my job to get this stuff in stores during August and September. Mission accomplished ;D
> Remember, 'if you buy 2 gifts you will get the third free'


So why do you actually do this so early?

Do you earn more money because people shop earlier?

What will happen if you put the stock out in November?


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## paulatt (Oct 28, 2002)

Is there marketing evidence to show that people actually buy this stuff now? I expect they do. It's horrible, it makes Xmas seem endless.

They practise _ its in the shops so we must buy it before it all goes _ syndrome - my mother is already preaching this!!

Like most men. hubby practises _ Xmas Eve afternoon shopping, I'll get whatever is left _ syndrome!!


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## Richard (Apr 25, 2003)

Perhaps only men should be alowed to purchase Xmas related products ?

On second thoughts the world economy would just implode, doubtless further delaying the fitment of dsg gearboxes.


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## GRANNY (Jun 18, 2002)

I am GUILTY.
I admitt to having bought my christmas cards today.
Also some thingys for table decorations.
I am soooooooooooooo sorry, please forgive me.
[smiley=hanged.gif] [smiley=santa.gif] [smiley=santa.gif] [smiley=santa.gif]


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## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

Only 11 Saturdays for shopping till christmas though ;D


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## kingcutter (Aug 1, 2003)

some great offers on crackers at mark,s and spark's


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## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

> I am GUILTY.
> I admitt to having bought my christmas cards today.
> Also some thingys for table decorations.
> I am soooooooooooooo sorry, please forgive me.
> [smiley=hanged.gif] [smiley=santa.gif] [smiley=santa.gif] [smiley=santa.gif]


But why? You will not send the cards for another month or two and the table decorations won't be needed!!

They money you spent today could have been left in an investement to generate some further income instaed! :-/


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## paulatt (Oct 28, 2002)

> They money you spent today could have been left in an investement to generate some further income instaed! Â :-/


Much more satisfying to donate the money to a good cause - Save PaulaTT Fund - desperately in need of ready cash or credit card with 4 figure limit for clothes shopping!!


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## GRANNY (Jun 18, 2002)

Vlastan
I am going to get organised, this year.
And why wont the table dec get used?
Just cos you are sodding off to Athens for a holiday.
Why didnt you just save the money till next year, after all you've had some holidays this year allready.
;D ;D ;D


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## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

> Vlastan
> I am going to get organised, this year.
> And why wont the table dec get used?
> Just cos you are sodding off to Athens for a holiday.
> ...


Your Christmas decorations will be used...but not just yet.

My flight to Athens was booked on Friday and will be used next Monday!

But I haven't told you the best yet...it is fully subsidisied by my mum!!


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## GRANNY (Jun 18, 2002)

Hope you get sunburn on you arse. ;D


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## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

> Hope you get sunburn on you arse. ;D


I am still fairly tanned from my recent trip to Greece!! So my arse is tanned!


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## paulatt (Oct 28, 2002)

> So my arse is tanned! Â


Urgghhh, who was the unlucky person who had to rub in the fake tan lotion?


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## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

> Urgghhh, who was the unlucky person who had to rub in the fake tan lotion?


Not fake at all!! I am a genuine person...so is my tan in my arse!! ;D


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## racer (Feb 3, 2003)

> So why do you actually do this so early?
> 
> Do you earn more money because people shop earlier?
> 
> What will happen if you put the stock out in November?


I'm glad you lot are feeling the effect of Christmas already, I'm already planning next year. [smiley=hanged.gif]
In response to The V Meister's questions:
Christmas is launched early for several reasons:
1. Sell through of summer ranges leaving gaps on shelf that need to be filled.
2. To allow stores to re-layout stores and stock shelves before key sales period i.e. to balance the workload and reduce the total number of bodies required.
3. Sales intensity of summer ranges drops throughout September and intensity can be regained by introducing new ranges thus stimulating demand.
4. Early sales trends are very valuable when predicting final stock requirements, this can prompt re-buying activity or order cancellation.
5. Sales are low initially but they do increase exponentially, it is generally felt that it is better to 'get on the curve' earlier rather than launch late and expect miracles to happen overnight.
6. Various supply chain reasons, I'll cover these later.

Do we earn more because of early shoppers? Well I don't but the answer on the whole is yes. Early shoppers tend to spend more over the Christmas period and we obviously want them to know what we have and give them the chance to buy from us.

Putting the stock out in November would give us some serious problems:
1. Poor sales intensity during Sept and Oct.
2. Remerchandising during the busy sales period.
3. The supply chain would have to have exceptionally high throughput capabilities. It is easier and cheaper to distribute large amounts of volume into stores steadily from August onwards than it is to issue the same volume over just 2 months. We would be looking to source an enormous warehouse for just 2 months of the year which would be v. expensive. Manufacturing the goods begins in May and this would require huge storage facilities to hold this stock either by manufacturers or us before issuing to stores.

If I'm talking [email protected], what do you expect it's Sunday night. ;D [smiley=santa.gif]


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## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

> Not fake at all!! I am a genuine person...so is my tan in my arse!! Â ;D


More like you don't wash your bottom hole after it has been in use Vlastan!  :. Knowing your liking for backdoors etc etc :-X


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## paulatt (Oct 28, 2002)

> Early shoppers tend to spend more over the Christmas period and we obviously want them to know what we have and give them the chance to buy from us.


So none of this is for the comsumer's benefit it is all down to retailers & suppliers and their inability to quickly respond to market forces!! ;D

Its also a ploy to get us to buy stuff early then put it away, forget we bought it and then buy it again a month later!!


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## racer (Feb 3, 2003)

> So none of this is for the comsumer's benefit it is all down to retailers & suppliers and their inability to quickly respond to market forces!! ;D


The significant benefit for consumers is price, by controlling operating costs we can afford to offer the customer fantastic value for money. ;D

Paula, maybe you are too loaded to worry about VFM.  ;D


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

We were in a hotel on Sept 27th for a committee meeting and they had their Christmas tree up already!!


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## R6B TT (Feb 25, 2003)

> We were in a hotel on Sept 27th for a committee meeting and they had their Christmas tree up already!!


It was a scabby Hotel and I reckon they hadn't bothered to take it down from last year


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## paulatt (Oct 28, 2002)

> Paula, maybe you are too loaded to worry about VFM.  ;D


No, I'm a kept woman with several credit cards on his accounts!!


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## racer (Feb 3, 2003)

Happy Shopping. [smiley=santa.gif]


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## Sim (Mar 7, 2003)

Never start to early.

I am already shopping for Christmas...


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## Sim (Mar 7, 2003)

2004 

You see prices will only go up ;D


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## racer (Feb 3, 2003)

Two words 'Jan Sale'.


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## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

A garden centre near me on the A127 has had their chrismas decs up since August :-/.

I mean how weird is that seeing them up in the astonishing heat we had back then.


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## head_ed (Dec 10, 2002)

> A garden centre near me on the A127 has had their chrismas decs up since August Â :-/. Â
> 
> I mean how weird is that seeing them up in the astonishing heat we had back then.


Ditto....feck off with yer tinsel I'm looking for house plants! :-X


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