The fourth Thursday of every November is America's Thanksgiving, the day after that is called “Black Friday”. Is the United States shopping crazy consumer carnival day, followed by the curtain also opened the United States winter shopping season.
The National Association of Retailers is expected, winter shopping season in November and December of this year, excluding sales of cars, gasoline and restaurants, national retail sales will grow 3.6% to 4%, reaching 678.75 billion U.S. dollars to 682 billion U.S. dollars. Matthew Shea, chief executive of the association, said: Although hurricanes hit parts of the United States this year, two more days of shopping in the winter this year than last year and the high consumer confidence that will drive solid retail spending growth.
This year, consumer confidence in the United States has remained high. University of Michigan consumer confidence index published in October hit a new high in 13 years, the surveyed consumers said they are more optimistic about future income, employment and inflation. Richard Curtin, an associate professor at the University of Michigan, said consumers are more certain of future income and employment expectations, and the steady growth in consumer spending is expected to continue.
In the business festivals promotional activities under the indiscriminate bombing, the Americans in the end how to spend money? The National Retail Federation recently released winter consumer survey report gives the answer.
At first, study promotional activities in advance. Although the U.S. winter shopping season officially began with Black Friday, more than half of respondents started warming up in October or earlier to find out what to buy. Nearly 70% of adults in the United States plan to buy goods and gifts on Thanksgiving holidays. 56% of them said they had joined the shopping season in advance and said they would continue spending during the winter shopping season.
Second, the proportion of online shopping increased significantly. Last year's survey showed that only 25% of consumers use the wishlist option in the online store, but 63% of consumers said this year they would select the item in the online store and add it to the wishlist.
Nearly half of young people aged 18-34 say they look for consumer inspiration on social media such as Facebook and Instagram. However, these young people think that physical store consumption is also indispensable because the physical store provides them with social occasions with friends.
Last year, the National Retail Federation statistics show that jewelry stores, department stores, electronics stores and online stores are the top four retail sales channels for last winter's shopping season.
However, a recent Deloitte investigation report shows that online shop has become the preferred channel for American winter shopping. Interviewees said online spending rose 52% of their spending budgets during Thanksgiving holidays, accounting for only 46% of spending budgets in physical stores. Deloitte predicts online retail sales will grow 18% to 21% for the Thanksgiving holiday this year to a record 107 billion U.S. dollars, up sharply from 14.3% last year.
Third, the spending power of young people should not be underestimated. Like young people in China, young Americans are also the main consumers. While most consumers say the winter's consumption budget for this year is comparable to last year, 46% of young people aged 18-24 are willing to spend more than last year. 39% of young people aged 25-34 said they are willing to spend more.
Fourth, apparel and gift cards are the most purchased items by Americans in the winter consumer season. 61% of respondents plan to buy clothes and accessories; 59% of consumers buy gift cards, up from 56% last year; 44% of consumers plan to buy books, video and games.
For retailers, the winter shopping season is not to be missed the golden season. Goldman Sachs predicts retail sales in the fourth quarter will account for 30% of retail sales nationwide this year. In addition, nearly 35% of retailers' annual sales come from the winter shopping season, which is the largest share since the fourth quarter of 2007.
But for job-seekers, finding a job in this year's shopping season may not be an easy task. The National Association of Retailers expects retailers to hire between 500,000 and 550,000 temporary workers during the winter shopping season, down from last year's 575,000.
In this online shopping war, we as a manufacturer in China, a supplier of American toys, also got a lot of benefits. The customer feedback to us, the stuffed educational ball and juggling ball which we made are sales well. I hope again next Black Friday, can still create greater sales success, achieve a win-win situation.
