Dive Brief:
- To capture early holiday shoppers, Macy’s has unveiled its pre-Black Friday, Black Friday and Cyber Monday discounts for online and in-store shoppers, the retailer announced on Wednesday.
- The department store is offering early deals between Nov. 10 and Nov. 18, its Black Friday specials from Nov. 19 to Nov. 25 and Cyber Monday specials from Nov. 26 to Nov. 27. The retailer is offering markdowns on products from brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Clinique, Nike, Hot Wheels, Michael Kors, Calvin Klein, DKNY and Jimmy Choo, according to the announcement.
- The retailer is closing its stores on Thanksgiving Day but will extend its store hours when it reopens on Nov. 24, from 6:00 a.m. to 10:59 p.m.
Dive Insight:
Like Macy’s, other companies have opted to close their stores on Thanksgiving this year, including REI, Target and Simon malls. Instead of shopping in stores that day, Macy’s directed shoppers toward its Black Friday deals on its website and mobile app, according to the press release.
Retailers are introducing their holiday discounts ahead of Black Friday as more consumers start holiday shopping earlier this year. According to a Shopify and Gallup survey released in October, 41% of shoppers said they planned to begin their holiday shopping last month, followed by 39% who are doing so in November and 20% beginning in December.
Macy’s joins a growing list of major retailers announcing their early holiday markdowns, such as Target, Walmart and Amazon. The department store is offering discounts of up to 75% on items like jewelry, menswear, coats, bedding and toys, according to its announcement.
In addition to promoting its holiday deals, Macy’s is also gearing up for its annual Thanksgiving Day Parade, which will take place on Nov. 23, at 8:30 a.m. The retailer is selling 2023 parade products, including pajama sets, tote bags, pins and other memorabilia, as well as mugs, blankets, books and other products from franchises like Cool Cats, Paw Patrol, Pokémon and Peanuts.
Continuing its metaverse experiment from last year, the retailer is also showcasing the virtual version of its annual parade and an interactive game on its website. The retailer partnered with OnCyber this year and last year to showcase an online version of its parade on desktops and mobile devices.
“Our talented team of Macy’s Studios artisans and production specialists work year-round to deliver the nation’s most beloved holiday event, live on Thanksgiving morning,” Will Coss, executive producer of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, said in a statement. “We are proud to hold this responsibility and look forward to sharing our unbelievable designs, larger-than-life character balloons and first-class entertainment, all sure to create lifelong memories for Parade fans nationwide.”
