Date published: 01.09.08 - not release date

SUPERMARKETS CORRECT TO ENCOURAGE EARLY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

Although it seems like our wet and windy summer was only a few days ago, the slightest hint of winter has given the supermarkets reason to sneak in their Christmas ranges despite public protest. Research from MyVoucherCodes.co.uk shows that more people than ever before are doing their Xmas shopping earlier in the year, so are the supermarkets right to encourage this after all?

Nearly 40% of internet shoppers surveyed have admitted that not only have they started their Christmas shopping already, but that they started thinking about what to get and making Xmas purchases in early September of this year.

The UK’s leading discount code website, http://www.MyVoucherCodes.co.uk found that despite supermarkets causing public outrage by gradually bringing in their Christmas product ranges from September it seems the stores have their finger on the pulse as 25% of shoppers started their Xmas shopping earlier than they have ever done before.

Financial instability and growing fears about debts may also be playing an increasing role as nearly half of those quizzed said that they would be spending less on presents this year than in previous years.

Early predictions show that the winner this Christmas will be online stores as 56% of people asked said they planned to spend more via websites and less on actually going out to buy gifts in an effort to avoid the crowds and cold weather.

The research was commissioned as the MyVoucherCodes.co.uk owner saw an increase in people visiting and searching for Christmas presents from as early as June this year. This made the company realise that they should themselves be gearing up for the festive period earlier than anticipated.

Mark Pearson is the owner of My Voucher Codes and speaking about the findings he said,

“When we started seeing reference to “Christmas Presents” in shoppers data as early on as June I thought maybe people were just trying to have a giggle at our expense, but then we commissioned some research over the subsequent few months and this has revealed that people really are buying for the festive period much earlier than we would have believed”.

He continued,

“I smiled when I saw all the criticism for supermarkets bringing out their Christmas products in September as I knew that they were spot on to do so. Even though the majority of the research findings come from internet savvy buyers, making purchases via the web is now mainstream and the findings are no doubt mirrored on the high street as well as virtual stores such as My Voucher Codes”


MyVoucherCodes.co.uk is just over 6 months old and in that time over two million people* have visited the site to find the latest big name retail discounts and 90,000 people have signed up to receive the discount alerts newsletters.

MyVoucherCodes.co.uk monitors and updates the new vouchers and discount codes every day thanks to a combination of people sending them in to help other consumers and the site owner using technology to keep a watchful eye on the market place.

For more info visit www.myvouchercodes.co.uk


EDITORS NOTES

For more info or to set up interviews with Mark Pearson please call Andy, 10 Yetis Public Relations & Design, on 01452 527898 or e-mail andy@10yetis.co.uk

My Voucher Codes has been featured in the likes of The Times, The Independent, The Sun and on the BBC

* This is unique visitors and not repeat browsers