the essential
As the end-of-year holidays approach, the French will turn to their purchases of Christmas gifts. Between lower prices during Black Friday and wider availability of products, the month of November seems to be the ideal time to please your loved ones.
The days are getting shorter, the temperatures are dropping, Mariah Carey is back in the playlist of the moment and Christmas films have reappeared on our televisions over the past fortnight. No doubt, the end-of-year holiday season is fast approaching. And with it, a question that comes up every year: “What would you like as a gift?”
In a difficult economic context, where many households are tightening their belts, this period often raises concerns about exploding expenses. Thus, more and more families are spacing out their Christmas shopping in order not to blow up the bill for the month of December, already increased by all the end-of-year celebrations.
An increase in budget in 2024
Despite economic constraints, the average budget allocated to Christmas gifts by parents increased by 10.4% this year, reaching 136.90 euros, according to a Kidexpo survey, carried out by Générations & Co among a panel of 615 families of children aged 3 to 16 and revealed by West France. To save money, no surprises, you have to do it in advance. While some have already started their shopping, November seems to be the ideal time to anticipate and optimize your purchases.
Black Friday, the good idea?
The month is in fact the month when toys and gifts cost the least, while their prices are sometimes still very high in October, as reported by Idealo, a price comparison site, which indicates that prices reach their peak 11 weeks before Christmas. This period is now behind us. Now it’s time for November and Black Friday.
This “black Friday” is often considered a particularly favorable period for reductions, like a sales period which is not really one. Idealo indicates that, from the week of November 20, prices drop for 15 categories analyzed out of 22. Black Friday will take place this year on Friday November 29 and “remains the most favorable period for making Christmas purchases, unlike the “last year when the best offers took place at the end of September”, says Stéphanie van den Hende, communications manager at Idealo France, for RMC.
There can be up to 100 euros difference for certain products between Black Friday and the last week before Christmas. A considerable gap that it is therefore possible to turn in your favor by anticipating your purchases. Beware of the pitfalls, however: last year, the General Directorate for Competition, Consumption and Fraud Repression (DGCCRF) recorded more than 215,000 reports from consumers and calls on buyers to be “particularly vigilant” during their purchases during this commercial operation.
Price surge in the run-up to Christmas
After the last week of November, prices are likely to rise again. Shopping at the last minute often turns out to be very costly because as the holidays approach, demand increases and so do prices. During the “Christmas rush”, in-store traffic increases and stock shortages may appear for the most popular products, such as games and toys, lifestyle products, high-tech products and household appliances.
