Before most folks have had a chance to pick out their Halloween costumes, many stores will be installing Christmas displays and trim-a-home shops.
And even earlier than that, retailers are starting up layaway plans to encourage shoppers to get a head start on their holiday buying.
That’s not surprising to Carol Pregill, president of Retail Merchants of Hawaii. "Women do most of the shopping and time is limited. I tend to buy things as I see them," she said.
"The economy is still slightly in the recovery stage. It all boils down to competition. We see it in airlines and every different industry. It’s critical to get things out early.
"The holiday shopping season is so important to the retail business," Pregill said. "Holiday shopping accounts for 25 to 40 percent of total annual sales."
Stay-at-home mom Michelle Leung said that caring for a 1- and 4-year-old leaves little time for procrastination, especially when it comes to gift buying.
"I probably end up spending more because the sales haven’t started, but I’m looking for convenience. I went to the Black Friday sales once and that was enough," she said.
Shawn Nakamoto, a Honolulu public relations professional, does her shopping early so she can sit back, relax and enjoy the holiday season.
A SAMPLING OF LAYAWAY PLANS
Remember to ask about cancellation fees, should you change your mind about a purchase:
>> Toys R Us/Babies R Us: Through Dec. 16; $5 fee waived before Oct. 31; 20 percent down required. Power Wheels, outdoor play sets and other big-ticket items must be paid in full by Nov. 30.
>> Walmart: Through Dec. 14; $15 fee refunded upon final payment.
>> Kmart: Year-round; $15 down or 10 percent of total purchase; $5 fee for eight-week layaway, $10 for 12 weeks (more than $300).
>> Sears: Year-round; 20 percent down; $5 fee for eight-week layaway; $10 for 12-week layaway (more than $300).
>> Royal Hawaiian Heritage Jewelry: Starts Oct. 16; $10 down for three-month plan.
>> www.elayaway.com: 3.9 percent service fee.
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"I don’t like the rush. I love shopping but despise holiday shopping," she said. "I start making my list in the summer, try to pick up things slowly and finish before Thanksgiving."
She admits that having a lot of teenagers on her list makes things easier. "They want gift cards or cash. I try to stick to my budget and not get carried away," Nakamoto said.
She enjoys wrapping presents and creating special boxes for gift cards. "When everything is done early, I can get into the holiday spirit and decorate the house, put up the tree," Nakamoto said. "I don’t have it down to a science, but I’m pretty methodical about Christmas shopping. If I’m shopping at the last hour, I can’t enjoy all of the other stuff."
Nakamoto also uses a smartphone app, Gift Plan, to keep track of her purchases and spending.
The resurgence of layaway plans can help consumers get started early without putting a huge dent in their pocketbooks and maybe get first dibs on in-demand toys and trendy products.
"The plans help people to avoid going into credit card debt," Pregill said.
Rules vary, with some stores charging layaway fees, a cancellation penalty, or requiring a minimum down payment.
Toys R Us is waiving its usual $5 fee for layaway purchases until Oct. 31; 20 percent down is required.
Aside from the usual benefits of shopping under an installment plan, Toys R Us can help parents thwart nosy kids who don’t want to wait until Dec. 25 to unwrap their presents.
"Customers use layaway programs for a variety of reasons, including taking advantage of the flexible payment terms," said Katie Reczek, corporate communications officer for Toys R Us. "Parents also use our store as a place to hide those big gift items until the week before Christmas."
Layaway also is a good option for big-ticket items such as jewelry. Royal Hawaiian Heritage Jewelry will launch its holiday layaway program Oct. 16 that allows customers to lock in gold prices for three months with a down payment of only $10.
"Our $10 holiday layaway plan has been a hit for us," said company owner Jackie Breeden. "People don’t need to put a lot of money down in the beginning."
Common layaway items at the jewelry chain include Hawaiian bracelets ($1,900 for an 8 mm bangle) and diamond rings, she said.
LAYAWAY is also available to those who prefer to buy online. Architect Julie Lam said she tries to get all her shopping done before Cyber Monday — the Monday after Thanksgiving when online retailers offer special holiday deals.
"I don’t have the stamina to shop at midnight after eating Thanksgiving Day dinner," she said. "It’s just awful to go to the malls in December. I try to stay away."
The website www.elayaway.com has 230 participating retailers, including Apple. The site adds a 3.9 percent service fee to each order.
Lam said she has scaled back on the number of gifts she buys, with most of the people on her list under the age of 6 years old. She likes to buy educational toys and will sometimes go to a local store to "scope things out and play with the items before purchasing them online."
Making a gift list and sticking to it helps her to avoid overspending.
"Lots of family members and friends hold gatherings and don’t exchange gifts," Lam said. "We enjoy the experience instead of buying each other material things."
