SAMANTHA ENSLIN-PAYNE: Christmas in July is a false start we just don't need
“To retailers in South Africa who may be toying with the idea of going big with Christmas in July: please don't. It will wear very thin, very quickly"
Christmas in July has yet to catch on in South Africa. But it probably will. For years now, retailers have strung twinkly lights and cheery decorations in their stores from October, extending the spending season by almost two months. In the past few years, some big-name retailers have offered South Africans their own version of Black Friday - a tradition in the US on the day after Thanksgiving when stores sell merchandise at cut prices. We are familiar with images of consumers there queuing outside stores, waiting for the doors to open and then, in a frenzy, fighting over television sets. There is also Cyber Monday, which comes shortly after Black Friday — a bid to get people to spend online. These retail events suggest that Father's Day in June, Mother's Day in May and Valentine's Day in February no longer offer retailers sufficient income. Now, Christmas in July, which is not a new concept but is gaining traction, could offer retailers the opportunity to spur spending over the mid...
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