Shops launch highest number of sales in Christmas lead-up as retailers battle to win customers
Deloitte says shops are currently discounting items by between 2 per cent and 80 per cent with an average sale of 44 per cent
SHOPPERS can expect to bag the best pre-Christmas sales bargains ever as retailers are currently discounting items by record levels.
Accountancy firm Deloitte, which has monitored the price of more than 800,000 products, says shops are currently discounting items by between 2 per cent and 80 per cent with an average sale of 44 per cent.
But it expects this discount to rise to 48 per cent by Christmas Eve - a new record.
It says an over-supply of unwanted stock, caused in part by the mild winter weather, has driven retailers to record levels of discounting in the run up to Christmas.
In addition, varying levels of success of promotional events such as Black Friday, as well as general economic and business uncertainty, have encouraged retailers to slash prices in order to shift unsold stock.
Only today, online fashion retailer Asos issued a profits warning proving that it's not just high street chains that are struggling.
Which shops have already started their Christmas sales?
HERE'S where you can find pre-Christmas sales at high street and online-only retailers:
- Argos - and - both while stocks last
- Asos - - on mens and womens while stocks last
- Boohoo.com - and free delivery if you use the code 'MAN'
- Matalan - and
- M&S -
- Topshop - and
The retailer currently has 50 per cent off menswear, womenswear, footwear gifts and more.
Marks and Spencer and Topshop also have up to 50 per cent off sales running at present, while Boohoo and Matalan have up to 25 per cent off certain items, and Argos has a clearance sale and a HUGE toy sale.
But Deloitte predicts these sales will continue to grow in number and size, with average discounts of more than 52 per cen anticipated from Boxing Day onwards.
Jason Gordon, lead consumer analytics partner at Deloitte, said: "In recent years consumers have come to expect retailers to heavily discount products in the lead up to Christmas.
"Christmas falling on a Tuesday, shorter Sunday opening hours and many choosing the weekend prior to Christmas to travel to friends or family will complicate the last few crucial days of trading.
"This is why we expect retailers to ramp up their discounting earlier than normal in an attempt to clear stock.
“On the one hand, deeper discounting is clearly good news for consumers, but at the same time retailers are seeing margins eroded, significantly for some, at a time when sales volumes should be peaking.
“Against a backdrop of considerable business uncertainty across the sector, many retailers will extend their Christmas sales deep into January, with some having little option but to run through early February and even beyond. While this is unprecedented, it will not be a surprise.”
More on Christmas shopping
We spoke to one mum-of-two who finished Christmas shopping for her kids back in MARCH.
If you do still have gifts to buy, Argos has launched a HUGE toy clearance sale ahead of Christmas.
And despite being one of Hollywood’s highest paid actresses, Angelina Jolie does her Christmas shopping in US bargain store Target.
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