The Three Golden Rules For Christmas Shopping This Year: Early, Local And In-store

Christmas might look a little different this year, particularly if you don’t plan ahead to make sure the gifts you want are under the tree come Christmas Eve.

Over the last year, global supply chains have come under significant pressure. We’ve seen shortages pop up all over the world and it’s taking longer for things to get to New Zealand.

When ships arrive in our waters they must contend with congestion at our major ports, which means they’re unable to unload when they need to or are continuing to other ports without stopping. And the ongoing industrial action in Australia is also having an impact.

All of this means that there is a very real possibility that you might not have everything you want or need to celebrate the holidays if you leave your shopping too late. The Warehouse reported a run-on wrapping paper in October and there has already been early demand for particular toys and tech.

Accenture’s Manging Director Australia New Zealand Retail, Michelle Grujin, says that she expects our Christmas shopping habits to follow what they’ve seen globally as part of Accenture’s annual holiday shopping research.

“With pandemic shipping delays dominating headlines in 2021, we’re expecting Kiwis to shop differently this year. Our global research showed that people will be shopping earlier than normal because they are worried about not getting what they want in time for Christmas. They’re also planning to support local and are choosing to shop in store so that they can be certain that products are in stock and available now.

Shop early

Christmas is less than five weeks away and if you were thinking that you still had plenty of time to get your presents sorted, then you should think again. The internal border around Auckland has increased shipping times. If you want to ship presents directly to friends or family, you need to put your order in as soon as possible. Don’t wait until the week before Christmas and still expect your parcel to arrive at the front door in time for the big day.

Shop local

It’s likely that there may be gaps on the shelves closer to Christmas that would normally be filled by speciality, imported products. This is the perfect year for Kiwi alternatives to take centre stage at your Christmas celebrations – you’ll make sure you don’t get caught out waiting for something to arrive that you need, and your money will go toward a Kiwi business owner who could do with a boost right now.

Shop in-store

While we have all grown accustomed to that familiar knock on the door that signals the arrival of our newest online purchase, this year will be the year to shop in store if you can. A present in your hand is worth more than a present in your online basket this year, and you won’t have to navigate the inevitable postal delays.

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