Is "Manic Monday" Going To Take The United Kingdom By Storm?

Just as turkeys, Christmas trees and the Queen's Speech have grown to be an integral element of Christmas, a new phenomenon fresh from the United states is set to become a regular part of the festive season over here in the United kingdom. Named "Manic Monday", it's set to be the most active day of the year for internet retailers, as consumers hit the web looking to get their Christmas shopping nice and early.

In reality it will take a long time to catch on because the media are not able to even decide when it is, with a majority papers split fifty-fifty on whether it's on the 22nd or 29th of November. The general view is that it will follow the American tradition of being the Monday after Thanksgiving which means that if reports are to be believed, Monday 29th November is going to become a huge occasion for internet stores.

So is there any reality to the fact that consumers will all pick the exact same time to log on and order their Christmas presents, or is it nothing more than a marketing ploy to try and convince consumers to spend cash and give the features writers a story to write about?

The timing of the occasion definitely makes good sense, with thoughts of Christmas starting to become very real as November draws to a close and three shopping weekends remaining until the big day. It'll also arrive just after pay day for many of us, with the all important November pay cheque having cleared and shoppers seeking to receive their items in time for Christmas.

Considering the timings it makes sense that consumers will choose to log in and purchase their Christmas presents, but just how much of the buzz is authentic and just how much is engineered to create a "buying experience", persuading customers to spend early and boost sales?

There is no denying the fact that organizations will capitalise on the buzz around the date to make the most of the opportunities it presents, and it provides the chance to increase marketing and introduce massive promotions so as to gain the advantage over competitors. Online retailer Amazon are about to bring the customary "Black Friday" discounts to our shops from the Us, utilising what is a post-Thanksgiving shopping phenomenon to improve sales in the UK.

So is it a natural phenomenon that takes place organically or is it nothing more than a scheme to persuade consumers to expend money?

As is generally the situation with these issues it's almost certainly a bit of both. In the lead up to Christmas, by far the most crucial time of the year for shops, spending trends will be scrutinised and manipulated to make sure that the season is as lucrative as possible. Coming just after payday and on the brink of December, "Manic Monday" is an obvious time for many to start their Christmas shopping in earnest, so looking at consumer trends will naturally show a rise during this time.

So with consumers looking to buy and retailers desperate to sell, "Manic Monday" is the "perfect storm", with enhanced customer desire combined with shops fighting to make money at the most competitive and lucrative time of the year.

The chances are that this will grow as an event in the United kingdom over the next few years, and this may well be the final time the press are confused by what date it falls on. Once the marketing departments catch on to a profitable prospect, you can be sure that in years to come you will not be able to move for "Manic Monday" discounts.

Alan contributes posts regarding issues surrounding the christening gifts industry on behalf of Engraved Gift Ideas.