How We Work : Blog

Happy Holidays!

Tis the season to be shopping and spending money. If you believe the constant barrage of advertisements, direct mailers, television commercials that have been inundating my inbox, newspapers and mailbox.

Christmas seems to have become the "shopping" season of the year for our snowless country. With faux Christmas trees and twinkly lights, Singaporeans are celebrating the season of giving by furiously spending year end bonuses.

Many marketers will tell you that this is the best time of the year to boost retail sales from big budget items like cars and houses to small convenient gift items like picture frames and beauty products. Not to mention the many of us who will want to pamper ourselves after a long year in the office.

"Sales" abound during this period, it's like a bargain hunters wet dream. Almost every weekend there is a 15% or 50% bargain to be had. In fact, if you were to buy something that was not on sale, it would seem very unwise indeed.

The fact is we are being conditioned in our purchase behavior by clever marketers. What makes the month of December the best time of retailers? It wasn't always like that of course. The creation of occasions and opportunities to open our wallets has always been the holy grail of marketers everywhere. Why sip champagne only when it is a special occasion when you can scoff it down for breakfast and as a subsitute to wine.

But when it comes down to it, who doesn't like spending money and buying pretty things. Here's a big thank you to all the marketers who make me feel that little bit less guilty about blowing our bonuses at Xmas time :) Without the savings and freebies as a balm for that hole in the pocket, surely Christmas would not be such a joyous occasion.

Dan