Indications are it will be a jolly holiday

We haven’t even hit Halloween yet, but it’s beginning to look a lot like a merry Christmas, and that’s good news for advertisers.

The latest survey from PriceGrabber, a shopping comparison site, finds that 54 percent of consumers are planning to spend $500 or more on holiday gifts, up from 2011.

Online looks to be a major destination for these shoppers, with three-quarters saying they plan to shop on the web. A close second was discount stores such as Walmart with 74 percent of the vote, followed in a distant third by department stores at 49 percent.

Only 9 percent plan to go to luxury department stores, however.

PriceGrabber notes that retail advertisers are already pushing some promotions as they gear up for Black Friday and Cyber Monday next month.

Many stores have been increasing the number of seasonal workers they’re hiring on, too, in an indication that they have higher hopes for consumer spending as well.

Amazon said this week that it plans to hire more than 50,000 workers, slightly more than last year. Toys ‘R’ Us and Walmart, among others, have also said they’re hiring more seasonal employees in anticipation of bigger crowds and higher spending.

And buyers say they are expecting a flood of retail advertising dollars on local television as soon as the election ends. Retailers have been squeezed out by political ads the past couple months.
 

Tags: ads, advertisers, advertising, amazon, consumers, holiday, holiday ad spending, holiday advertising, holiday spending, local ad spending, online, pricegrabber, retail, shopping, studies, walmart, web