Coupons/ Rebates/ Pricing

Office Depot is giving holiday shoppers almost a month-long head start on the season.    The office supplies company is kicking off Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals on Oct. 30 — a move that it anticipates will save its loyal shoppers time and money this holiday season. Deals will be available at stores, as well as on the Office Depot’s website.  

An extended holiday season could translate into an 11% increase in online sales with mobile devices leading the charge.   Adobe’s “2016 Digital Insights Shopping Predictions” report predicts that 53 consecutive days (57 calendar days in total) will exceed $1 billion in online sales, compared to 31 consecutive days last year — a 71% year-over-year (YoY) increase.   

The upcoming United States presidential election is so tumultuous that it’s influencing shoppers to pull back holiday shopping plans.    With the election falling in the middle of holiday shopping, many U.S. consumers said they will have a more conservative holiday spending budget this year, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual consumer spending survey, a report that tapped 7,733 consumers about holiday shopping plans.   

Starting Nov. 1, more than 5 million Sears MasterCard holders whose cards are linked to the Shop Your Way program will earn more Shop Your Way points at Kmart and many of their favorite retailers.   These Sears MasterCard holders will automatically earn more Shop Your Way points on a complimentary basis through December 31, 2017, including:

• 5% back in points on eligible purchases made at gas stations;
• 3% back in points on eligible purchases at grocery stores and restaurants

Looking to attract shoppers in what is expected to be a highly competitive season, Best Buy is waiving online shipping fees.   For the second year in a row, the electronics retailer is offering free shipping on all online purchases — with no minimum threshold — made during the holiday shopping season. The perk will run between Oct. 25, and Jan. 2. Best Buy typically charges a fee for all orders below $35.  

Value and promotions will take center stage in Target Corp.’s holiday plans, along with a televised “musical” starring a 10-time Grammy-winning recording artist.   In addition to new and exclusive merchandise in every product category, Target is offering an array of holiday deals, including the return — and extension by one week — of free shipping for all online orders from Oct. 25 through Jan. 1, 2017.    

Gift cards certainly have not lost their luster among holiday gift givers and recipients — or Albertsons.   Well aware that three in four consumers (73%) planned to give at least one gift card last holiday season, according to the Retail Gift Card Association (RGCA) reported, the grocery chain is ready to attract these shoppers again this year. In effort to grab these customers’ wallet share, Albertsons will add the Five Back Visa gift card to its gift card portfolio.  

Holiday sales may be on pace to increase this year, but sale-savvy shoppers will drive this boost.    The 10th annual “Accenture Holiday Shopping Survey” found that 42% of consumers said they rarely or never expect to pay full price for an item during the holiday season, and this year is no exception.