With John Lewis reporting that their department store sales decreased 1.3% since last year, and worse still, seven weeks in a row, it is evident that the recession is affecting high street names.  We could hypothesize that the crunch has initiated some premature and fear-driven marketing.  But proving to be the even bigger threat is the internet.  Despite the dangers of economic downturn, e-commerce is nevertheless set to flourish.  According to the latest Logan Tod Online Shopping Index (www.logantod.co.uk) over 50% of UK’s online shoppers intend to do even more internet shopping in the run up to Christmas 2008.  So, we're not cutting back on our spending.  We're just spending elsewhere. 

 

I suspect that the credit crunch has involuntarily boosted internet sales with the lure of better deals online.  There's no surprise that the high street is trying to get in there first.  I guess it depends what type of shopper you are, and in my estimation, there are three:  First we have the 'The Impressionable Shopper' who is very susceptible to marketing tricks and would probably invite a door-to-door salesman in for a cup of tea.  Then we have 'The Smart Susceptible Shopper' who likes to think that they aren't receptive to marketing ploys, but in reality they very much are.  And then we have 'The Smart Shopper' who is rarely moved by advertising campaigns and likes to do further research before making a purchase (also quite likely to have a marketing-related degree).  Depending which one you are, you may or may not be affected by Christmas starting early.