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Some 71 percent of U.S. residents plan to go online for most of their holiday shopping this year, according to a new survey from CreditCards.com. Will you be one of them?
I sort of hope not.
Local stores have already been hammered by the novel coronavirus. Some are barely hanging on. If there’s another stimulus check – and even if there isn’t – I plan to do much of my shopping here in town.
Note that I said “much.” A bunch of my gifts won’t actually be physical gifts, but rather gift cards that I get from rewards programs like Swagbucks and MyPoints or from my rewards credit cards.
But I’ll also be visiting some local shops with beautiful and/or practical gifts.
Sure, I could go online for pop-culture items for my nephew and niece, or cash in some of those rewards points for chain pet stores. But I’d much rather head over to Bosco’s or the Anchorage PetZoo and leave my dollars here in town.
Obviously I understand the allure of online shopping:
You can do it in your PJs – maybe even with a slice of homemade pumpkin pie at hand.
Staying home reduces possible exposure to COVID cooties.
No fighting over the last Super Doorbuster or Must-Have Toy.
No need to drive anywhere or wait in long lines to pay.
You can get cash-back shopping rewards from sites like Mr Rebates, Dollar Dig and Rakuten.
No worry about getting shot or trampled by fellow shoppers. Ho, ho, NO!
Beyond ‘Small Business Saturday’
The coronavirus has made this a tough year even for those who didn’t actually get sick (or have family members get sick) or lose their jobs. The pandemic has generated some pretty major anxiety nationwide.
That’s why I plan to make a little bit more of Christmas this year. Usually I keep the spending fairly moderate. But 2020 has just plain sucked, and I want the people I buy for to be surprised and delighted by what’s under the tree.
So yes, I’ll be spending more than usual. I won’t break the bank. But I will shake loose more moolah this year, and not just on Black Friday or Small Business Saturday.
And if it turns out that 2 Friends Gallery or Bosco’s or Skinny Raven Sports are offering any holiday specials? Heck, yeah, I’ll check them out. I may be some dumb, but I’m not plumb dumb.
How about it, readers: What will your holiday spending be like? More or less than usual? Online or local?
Related reading:
- Extreme Frugality: Holiday shopping edition
- 12 ways to spend less on stocking stuffers
- Do we need a little less Christmas?
I normally shop entirely online for health reasons but there’s no reason I can’t target smaller businesses to buy from. It’ll depend on the gift and the friends, though. I already shopped for the niblings at a smaller business (which reminds me I might need to wrap their gifts now to send over to them via a friend courier who’s going that direction).
I am considering what we’d send to other local friends in that area and whether I could find those goodies at a local non-chain business.
Oh dang that also reminds me I have to think of something for my staff. Think think think!
Gift cards from local coffee shop, bakery, dry-cleaner, pet supply shop…?
I agree with finding smaller businesses to buy from online. I don’t necessarily see it as online versus local, but big businesses (that don’t need my financial support) and small businesses (that absolutely can use my financial support). I have been buying more items that I don’t necessarily need, and eating out a little more, to be able to support businesses that need help. I think lots of small businesses are online since it’s cheaper for startup costs than renting out a retail space. I’ve also been trying to support people who sell through Etsy, and second hand/thift spaces like FB Marketplace and Mercari.
That’s a good distinction to make. And as Laure noted elsewhere on the page, some small businesses don’t have the money/time/expertise to put up a website.
A friend of mine makes wonderful jewelry but doesn’t want to mass-produce and deal with mailing so she doesn’t do Etsy. Her work is in shops in Anchorage and a couple of other Alaska towns, and she generally has a table at a couple of local bazaars. This year, however, she and other artists/crafters won’t have the latter option — and since there were almost no tourists this year, their work won’t be purchased that way. It’s a tough time.
Some of our local shops have done a great job of pivoting in these COVID times (live sales with the owners on FB where they share their faves, a local toy shop that will deliver to your doorstep for orders placed before 10 am, a local restaurant that makes a weekly butcher box with recipes and sides). I’ve loved finding new ways to support these businesses.
For the first time ever, last Christmas I gave my four grandchildren a check, a very small check. I am not sure if I will do the same thing this year.
Hi Donna!
Yes, I agree. 2020 SUCKS. We had a cut in pay, but nothing major, no illnesses, no immediate family deaths, but it has surely taken a toll on our mental health.
Christmas has always been a sore spot for me. Call it the time of year (dark and dreary) or PTSD from Christmas pasts when I’ve more than over spent to show my love for my family. I don’t know exactly what it is, but I’m not a fan. I agree to support local businesses – most of who we support are restaurants. Having said that, however, I will be mostly getting gift cards, and Amazon. We honestly don’t have a lot of small business stores in the area. My budget is the smallest it’s ever been this year, as I’ve been lazer focused on paying off our mortgage. I won’t start shopping until Dec. 1st either. Trying not to be scrooge, but I’m just not into it.
I am disabled and have other health issues. Most of my shopping is and will be online. I am staying home until there is a safe vaccine. If there is not another stimulus check, we will spend less than usual due to reduced income.
I was deemed essential at the beginning of all this and grateful I didn’t lose my job. I will be doing like I did last year a mix of online and in person just with my mask on. I never spent thousands I usually spend under $100 because I take time to think about what my family would love and use.
Me, too, also.
Will be shopping local. One option for people who can’t (or don’t feel safe, or just don’t want) to go out is shopneighborhood.com
The website formed — I think just during the pandemic — to provide a place for small businesses that didn’t have $$ or know-how for their own websites to be able to sell online. You can look “shop by area” and buy from your very local shops, if you wish. Where I am, some neighborhood shops will ship anywhere for a fee, but will also deliver within a 2-mile radius for free — since fewer people are coming in to the store, they have a regular store employee, who otherwise would be furloughed, making the delivieries. They’ll even coordinate to set a time convenient for you.
I love this idea. Thanks for sharing the information.
I’ll be doing my usual combination of charitable donations, amazing thrift shop finds (my thrifting has been a bit hampered this year by the pandemic, but I had a pretty deep supply to begin with), and homemade miracles. In addition to my homegrown herbs, herb vinegars, and teas for family and friends, I’ve made a Martha Stewart parody calendar for my Bestest Neighbors every year since 1996. Given Martha’s recent venture into CBD products (see the recent NYT interview with her about these), this year’s theme should be a cinch. (Reefer Madness jokes galore!)
First off I have to say I’m quite sure at this point we won’t be having our usual Thanksgiving at DD’s, our annual Swedish Christmas Eve here at our house, Christmas Day at DS’s or our New Years Eve dinner out with the same group of friends we’ve been celebrating with for 19+ years due to the lovely pandemic. Geez, when I see it typed out it looks even more depressing than to think about it. Although like I keep saying to people, it won’t hurt to miss the holidays for one year (hopefully). I’m just so darned worried about catching or spreading Covid. That being said, I still plan to give gifts, perhaps a drive-by in a Santa hat for our kids and grandkids, with gifts and Christmas Eve food being handed to them. For physical gifts, I want to shop at my friend’s independent book store Booklovers Gourmet here in Webster Massachusetts and at a few other local stores. Most of what we give will be gift cards to local restaurants, them being so hard hit by the pandemic. The physical gifts will be thrown in for fun…I mean, who doesn’t love tearing into a gift, especially the teens. Our 4 grandkids are now in their teenage years with the exception of the youngest who will be 13 in February so I guess he’s a tween. I do have a savings account just for Christmas and birthdays o I won’t be carving into the budget.
I’ve been entertaining myself at home with crochet projects, so everyone is getting something crocheted this year.
I feel pretty safe shopping outside, so I’ve been to our monthly Maker’s Market and the once a month artists market that happens at the farmer’s market. They both require masks and social distancing, and folks have been pretty good about following the rules. It’s a great way to support local makers and artists, and I like giving unique gifts.
Everyone on my list will get a crocheted item plus an item from a market. The only downside is paying to ship–I don’t live near my family. I take that back actually–the downside is not being able to see them!