With the holiday season in its concluding stage, we’re approaching the end of what is possibility the greatest spending period we see each year. The magic, spirit and beautiful chaos of Christmas is always seemingly and quickly replaced by the culminating clamour of the Boxing Day hoopla. Something of which has become a week long and even weeks full of Boxing Day sales.
Known for the incredible sales that take place during and after the 26th, consumers, customers and shoppers alike wait in hour long line-ups and race to the malls to hopefully catch what we all refer to as a “great deal”. And which one of us could hardly pass up that kind of justification. We would almost be foolish not to be swayed by a deal should we come by one. Right?
Our notions of what a “deal” stands for and our exposure to price discounting through sales could hardly be said to be a new and emerging thing. In fact, sales, deals and strategically placing and using vocabulary has been around for some time. But the way we all as individuals approach it, especially us twentysomething Millennials, is something new and different.
This young generation which has incredible spending potential, whether that be from their own pockets or supplemented from that of their parents, has approached consumerism with a purchasing mind-frame but one keen on finding the deal. Or at the very least, establishing the “deal” within the reasoning of the purchase.
Though significant spenders, today’s youth is undeniably frugal. Don’t be fooled here, it’s not frugality steeped in being cheap. However, it’s one based in strategy and precision. It’s one based in perceived value and most importantly, investment. We all know what we’re going to buy, so we’re all approaching it with a unknowing level of sophistication.
This has prompted an audacious audience to wait for the sale. And only the sale. Interestingly, it’s not a matter of affordability, though that does have significant influence on decisions and is a topic that could stand on its own. Rather, it’s one of knowing that you can always get the better price, the better deal, if you’re courageous, brave and have the foresight to wait it out.
These “I’ll wait until it goes on sale” shoppers are very much individuals that will buy what they need should they need it immediately. And should they know what they need does not follow traditional discounting cycles. As customers become more informed to the occurrences and trends that take place, the immediacy of purchasing certain products and goods is vastly prolonged.
Gifting and the giving of presents still clearly takes place, as it’s not about frugality in the sense of cheapness. And that will always take place. The frugality behind the deal and the art of finding it is based in the essence of frugal wisdom. Which itself is almost laughable to hear, that we are the wise shopper and perceive ourselves that way. But we do and will always give. And giving hardly coincides with finding a deal. Though if luck and timing should be on your side, you could be the fortunate one to leverage that combination.
The deal and getting the deal is as much about getting what you like at a cheaper price as it is about having bold and uncanny shopping abilities. The truth of the matter is we all brag about the “great deal” we got, implying both shopping smarts and the notion that it’s not available anymore. And it’s exactly for that reason we hardly tell anyone about the great deal until long after we’ve purchased it in hopes of preventing others from getting that same deal. One of the biggest aspects of the deal is being the only to have gotten the deal.
So when you say sale, we hear deal. You say regular price, we wait out for the cheaper price. It’s not about being cheap, it’s about being smart. It’s not about telling everyone about the awesome opportunity, it’s about living in the greatness of being opportune. And it’s not just about the art behind the deal, it’s about being able to show that you know how to get that “deal”. It’s about being the shopper, the artist, the one that got the deal.
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