If you’re looking for a less stressful in-store experience this holiday season, you may want to brush up your shopping schedule.
According to new research by Foursquare, different days of the week are more popular than others for retailers, meaning there are slow days that consumers can take advantage of in order to accomplish tons of shopping in minimal amount of time.
Now, to an extent, this seems obvious. For instance, surely malls are more hectic on a weekend afternoon than on weekday mornings; we don’t need a report to tell us that!
But Foursquare’s research, which analyzed visit data from Foursquare City Guide and Foursquare Swarm (including active check-ins and passive visits) from November 1 to December 31, 2015 digs a few layers deeper to reveal the optimal times to shop for different types of products.
Monday, Thursday, and Friday are Low-Traffic Days
Here are some of Foursquare’s key findings according to the foot traffic it analyzed:
- Monday around noon is the best time to buy cosmetics, while Monday evening is the best time to go in-store to purchase clothing, jewelry, candy, and liquor.
- Thursday is the quietest day at bookstores, as well as the best day to purchase beer and to go to the hardware store.
- On Friday, visit big box retailers during the day, and toy stores in the evening. Also, get your weekly grocery shopping out of the way; Friday night is when grocery stores are most empty.
- Sunday can also be a pretty chill day to shop — if you’re checking out department stores and arts and crafts stores. On Sunday morning, consider the discount stores, and in the evening hit up the electronics stores.
Sarah Spagnolo, editor-at-large at Foursquare said that the worst times to shop for just about anything (if looking to avoid a crowd) is Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon.
“It was pretty surprising to see that different retail categories have very specific windows of time when they see fewer visits, and these windows are spread through the week,” said Spagnolo. “It's not as though we found that Monday morning was the best for everything — but it is the right time to go to Sephora.”
Why Those Days In Particular?
Why is say, Monday, the best day for quick make-up shopping, and Thursday the best for getting in and out of the hardware store in a cinch?
The research doesn’t provide insights, only sheer data, but some of these trends make sense when you think about them.
“If we had to interpret, we'd guess that hardware stores are likely busy at the beginning of the week as construction companies, designers, and the like need to shop for supplies,” said Spagnolo. “Weekends are also busy as people come in for home improvement projects. But Thursday morning? Clearly that's the sweet spot for finding a quiet store and staffers eager to help. You can go through this thought process for almost every category.”
Best Time for Deals Is Another Story
But what are the best times to find the best price?
Benjamin Glaser, features editor with DealNews says that while Monday, Thursday, and Friday may be the best days and times to shop in terms of crowds, they may not host the best deals.
“Mondays and weekend nights are the least crowded time to shop in-store; however, that doesn't mean they are the best time; many shoppers are happy to brave the crowds if it means finding better prices.”
Fortunately some of the best days for avoiding crowds are also the best times to score a coupon.
“Many stores release their new coupons on Sunday night and Monday, perhaps to encourage shoppers during slow traffic times,” said Glaser.
“Weekends during the day are busy for shopping, and stores might close early on Sunday; but any that are open late will probably be empty as folks get home for the Walking Dead and prepare for the week ahead. Similarly, if you're not too tired after work to go shopping on Monday, you'll have the store to yourself and plenty of coupons that won't expire for days.”
FAQs
Monday around noon is the best time to buy cosmetics, while Monday evening is the best time to go in-store to purchase clothing, jewelry, candy, and liquor. Thursday is the quietest day at bookstores, as well as the best day to purchase beer and to go to the hardware store.
What time of the year is best to go Christmas shopping? ›
September to October: Begin brainstorming gift ideas, asking for wish lists, and creating a list of your lucky recipients. Keep an eye out for early sales and start buying gifts from your list for close friends and family. November: Press the gas on your shopping efforts.
When should you do your Christmas shopping? ›
Set a reasonable timeframe
The beginning of November is accepted as an appropriate time to begin talking, thinking and shopping for Christmas. You'd be surprised to hear that some people have even finished their shopping by Black Friday. Good practice would be to set yourself a realistic timeframe.
Is it better to go shopping before or after Black Friday? ›
Many of the top retailers will increase cash-back offerings during pre-Black Friday sales. The savings during these early sales combined with higher cash-back percentages could result in better prices than on Black Friday.
What is the busiest Christmas shopping day? ›
The Busiest Shopping Days in the U.S. (in order): Black Friday - Friday, November 24. Super Saturday - Saturday, December 23. Second Saturday before Christmas - Saturday, December 16.
Is it cheaper to buy clothes before or after Christmas? ›
Winter Clothes
“Winter clothing is the first choice shoppers may choose to purchase after Christmas,” said Joseph Morgan, money-saving expert at CouponBirds. “Retailers will clear the winter clothing inventory with big discounts when new spring fashion arrives in stores.
When should I buy Christmas groceries? ›
On his blog, chef Rick Stein recommends: "Get all your food and drink shopping done by December 22nd – that way you can avoid a last-minute trolley dash around your local supermarket." He also recommends "checking you've got enough oil to cook with and plenty of salt and pepper for seasoning."
When should you start holiday shopping? ›
Black Friday is traditionally the start of the holiday shopping season, and 37 percent of holiday shoppers still plan to begin their holiday shopping in November, while 13 percent are planning to squeeze in shopping in December.
What time of day is best to do Christmas food shopping? ›
"For the best shot at reduced items at the best price, however, we recommend visiting stores two hours before closing time, when some stock, and in particular fresh food, is reduced by around 50%."
Is it better to buy before or after Christmas? ›
Shopping after Christmas might mean waiting longer for a particular item, but the money you save on that product will make the wait worthwhile. You'll see a lot of deep discounts on products ranging from electronics to clothing, and just about every other retail item that is updated in the January inventory turnover.
Depending on what you're shopping for, Black Friday can be the cheapest time to buy. But not every deal that shows up during November is a good deal. And this sales season will most benefit the smart shoppers who plan in advance. For the unwary, it can be easy to make bad buys.
How much discount do you get on Black Friday? ›
The answer-yes. On average, in-store discounts fall around the 20 percent off range the week of Thanksgiving, and rise to roughly a 37 percent savings on Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Online Black Friday deals follow suit with an average 34 percent discount.
How much does the average person spend on Christmas shopping? ›
According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), the average American plans to spend $826 in 2022 on Christmas gifts, food, and decorations. Of that $826 dollars, around 500 are spent on gifts for family members. The most popular of these gifts are clothing, toys, and gift cards.
What stores are most popular during Christmas? ›
The top categories with the most sales in these months, according to Census Bureau's Monthly Retail Trade Report, are clothing and accessories retailers, electronics and appliance stores, general merchandise stores, non-store retailers, and, furniture and home furnishings stores, each of which makes 19% or more of ...
Is October too early to start Christmas shopping? ›
Some holiday shoppers aren't deterred by sweltering heat when they look for gifts — 12 percent have or plan to start shopping before the end of August, while 12 percent plan to start in September. Another 26 percent of holiday shoppers plan to begin shopping in October.
How much should I spend on Christmas shopping? ›
Clearpoint, the credit-counseling nonprofit, suggests a simple target for holiday budgeting: Plan to spend 1.5% of your annual income. For a family that earns $75,000 a year, that works out to $1,125.
Is shopping cheaper after Christmas? ›
Shopping after Christmas might mean waiting longer for a particular item, but the money you save on that product will make the wait worthwhile. You'll see a lot of deep discounts on products ranging from electronics to clothing, and just about every other retail item that is updated in the January inventory turnover.
