The desire to save their hard-earned money is a normal and explicable phenomenon both for the inhabitants of Russia, and for the spendthrift Americans or fisted Europeans. But at the same time, every person wants to eat well, dress and relax. Combining business with pleasure, that is, not denying yourself any little things, but at the same time not allowing cunning sellers to cash in on their own needs, if you know the general principles of saving.
It is very important to buy good things not at an inflated price, but at their real price. This rule will come true if you know when the winter sales begin and how long they last. "Why winter, and not any other seasonal?" - Ask an inexperienced shopaholic. The fact is that it is during the cold season that such large and important holidays as New Year and Christmas fall, and everyone considers it necessary to prepare for these important celebrations. Buying gifts for relatives and friends, replenishing your wardrobe with elegant things, or simply purchasing expensive winter clothes is always a costly undertaking, so it’s better to know for sure when the winter sales begin. In Moscow, St. Petersburg, the capitals and major cities of European countries, the United States, Japan and the United Arab Emirates, their own schemes for attracting buyers operate, different rules and dates of actions are established, therefore it is more reasonable to prepare in advance for sales.
Ideal time for shopping
Statisticians report that in a fairly short period of time before the New Year and Christmas holidays, people spend three times more money than at any other time of the year. There is no need to explain why customers should do this, but not everyone understands why stores agree to arrange mega-sales, because when winter sales begin, some boutiques, chain stores and shopping centers give half of the initial cost of goods to customers.
The fact is that the buyer in any case will make purchases, and it is vital for sellers to bring him to their point of sale and at the same time not to let go empty-handed. They go to different tricks: they offer gifts, discounts, bonuses and privileges (compensation for future costs, gift certificates in partner stores, entertainment venues, the opportunity to purchase several units of goods at a reduced price, etc.).
Winter promotions, sales and other methods of attracting buyers truly know no boundaries. However, the buyer should carefully monitor what sales consultants are trying to impose on him, because very often the “gift” turns out to be a fiction or simply not worth the money spent on the purchase.
Season is open
The first day of winter discounts falls at the end of autumn, but you need to consider that this sale day is the most important event of the year for a real shopaholic. His name is "Black Friday." The tradition of organizing mega-sale on the last Friday of November originated in the United States. On this day, shoppers besiege shops, occupying kilometer-long queues from the night, and literally sweep away everything that comes to hand from the windows. For one weekend, sellers receive revenue equal to a quarter of the annual turnover. The similar success of the event pushed the authorities of other countries to create their own "day of grand sales." So, on December 2, in London, the car traffic in the West End is blocked, 600 stores extend their work for 2-3 hours, so that customers can fully spend the money accumulated over the year. The main Paris sale takes place on the night of January 18-19.
When the winter sales commemorating Black Friday begin, it is not at all necessary to personally visit the noisy and crowded shopping centers. The trend of recent years is online shopping. The opportunity to make acquisitions without getting up from a comfortable home chair, not only within your own country, but also abroad, while attracting buyers around the world with great benefit. In addition to discounts, online stores reward customers with free shipping, no duties on certain groups of goods, and the ability to return or exchange inappropriate or illiquid goods.
We grow beyond our years
Winter discounts begin to operate most often from the first decade of December. The fact is that in Europe and the USA the most important event is precisely Christmas, which is celebrated in the West on December 24, and it is customary to prepare for this holiday with maximum responsibility. Two weeks before an important event, outlets post announcements that they can offer their customers discounts of 10-15%. The closer the holidays, the more significant the benefit of the purchase becomes. So, on the eve of Catholic Christmas prices are reduced by 25-30%.
After the New Year, or rather January 7-10, total sales begin, and they last right up to Valentine's Day. The peak of the discount can be minus 80-90% on the price tag. It is worth considering that when the sale reaches this level, it is almost impossible to find shoes or clothes of the right size, cosmetics or perfumes of the most sought after brands and types in the store. When the sale of winter clothes, shoes, jewelry and accessories begins (from mid-January), the goods very quickly diverge from store shelves. But miracles do happen, and why not take a chance by waiting for the final offer from the store?
Sales in the USA
Americans are famous for their high purchasing power and passion for money waste. Even when there is no own funds, the inhabitants of this overseas country do not see anything shameful in purchasing goods on credit.
Retailers fuel this passion for shopaholism, and in order to further stimulate their customers, they created a schedule of discounts and promotions, so Americans know not only the date when winter sales begin, but also which days are the most profitable for shopping.
- Christmas;
- New Year;
- Martin Luther King Day;
- Valentine's Day;
- Presidents Day.
Winter bargaining in Europe
Almost every resident of our country has heard about such a phenomenon as shopping tours in Western Europe. The global renewal of the wardrobe and the purchase of New Year's gifts abroad has already become a familiar thing for the residents of Russia. This is not surprising, because when the winter sales begin in Moscow, Milan, Paris, London and Madrid are already selling out last year’s assortment with might and main. Their total sales occur at about the same time and the “expiration dates” are identical:
- France has set sales times at the official level and does not change the dates - from January 6 to February 16.
- Italy - January 7 - February 28. Shopping in different cities of this country can please in different ways, so in Milan and Bologna shopping will be more expensive than in Rome.
- Winter sales in Germany are the longest (all of December and January), here is a paradise for lovers of casual clothes and everyday goods, there are always reasonable prices for such goods, and the choice is very diverse.
- No less popular destinations for shopping tourists are countries of Eastern Europe. Poland begins the total sale, ending the celebration of the New Year, Lithuania - after the Catholic Christmas, "red days" last in the stores of these countries until the end of February.
All we can afford
Unlike European or American traditions, sales in Russia have their own mental flavor and aftertaste. From mid-December, when winter sales begin in St. Petersburg, Moscow and other major cities of the country, and until the end of the calendar winter, buyers are unlikely to find price tags with minus fifty or more percent marks. February will be the most profitable time for shopping, because it is customary to stretch the New Year holidays for the whole of January, and the shops do not want to lose their profit at all.
Unfortunately, it is more profitable for domestic buyers to go buy branded items abroad and purchase them there. But as for the mass market, casual clothes and shoes, these products are sold much more readily than from world-famous brands.
There is no need to delay until the end of winter, it is best to go shopping immediately after the New Year, otherwise the running positions will pass by you.
Shopping Without Borders
In recent years, e-commerce has been gaining momentum. Even inexperienced netizens have the luxury of shopping abroad. Special intermediary organizations help in this. Moreover, large online stores create their resources, including for Russian-speaking customers.
Virtual stores follow global trends and arrange sales at the same level as traditional boutiques. It should also be noted that the prices there are much lower, because the organization of online trading is a less expensive enterprise than creating a real store.