25/11/2022
Counting the days until Christmas is a major marketing move for retailers this year. Retailers from Target (NYSE:TGT) to LVMH’s Christian Dior are betting that the spirit of this season can be summed up with a centuries-old religious object: the Advent calendar.
The calendars traditionally mark every day in December of Advent, a time of reflection for Christian believers and of preparation for the Nativity and expected return of Jesus Christ. Retailers’ secular versions generally sport 12, 24 or 25 small, numbered compartments, each with a unique item to be revealed daily leading up to Christmas.
Dior is selling a $3,500 Advent calendar inside a wooden and cotton canvas box fashioned like its Paris boutique on Avenue Montaigne. Open a door and slide out the drawer daily. You’ll find one of 12 fragrances, four candles, four soaps, three candle accessories, and a scented ornament.
For toddlers, Walmart (NYSE:WMT) sells the Baby Shark Advent Calendar, priced at $44.99. Behind 24 little doors are parts for 18 small toys, including a tiny candy-cane slide. “Count down to Fishmas,” the box beckons.
And for anglers, there’s a $34.99 fishing tackle Advent calendar with life-like and color-changing soft baits at The Fishing Shop.
Inflation is high. The economy is wobbly. Stores have too much inventory. And shoppers are mostly too cautious to splurge. Retailers see the calendars as a way to introduce products that people otherwise might not have bought or tried, nabbing an early-season sale from people who want to treat their friends, family and even pets to small luxuries.
By rolling out new themes in calendars priced $3 to $3,500, stores also are capitalizing on social media. “Unboxing” Advent calendars is hot with influencers such as . She posts videos of herself opening each compartment, triggering debate among her 4.4 million followers over which calendars may be overpriced.
– Counting the days until Christmas is a major marketing move for retailers this year. Retailers from Target (NYSE:TGT) to LVMH’s Christian Dior are betting that the spirit of this season can be summed up with a centuries-old religious object: the Advent calendar.
