The countdown to Christmas has begun and, like every year, Black Friday –when brick-and-mortar and online retailers offer promotional sales to encourage spending– is the starting gun on the shopping period.

Black Friday falls on November 23rd this year. If you think that’s too early to start your Christmas shopping, I can’t imagine what you’d think about the Spanish Christmas lottery, which is held on December 22, launching ticket sales in June. That’s the definition of proactive!

If you missed our post about Black Friday, check it out to find out everything you need to know about this day, from its origins and meanings to when it’s celebrated.

There are several advantages to starting your Christmas shopping early: you save money with the sales, you save time avoiding lines, you can find exactly what you’re looking for, you can compare prices, you can postpone payments to make it easier on your budget, etc. And the fact that you can do it increasingly more easily from the comfort of your home or on your way to work is another point in favor of online shopping, Black Friday’s biggest attraction.

Undoubtedly, the shift towards a more digital customer has driven this type of sales initiative. This year, online sales are expected to reach €1.3 billion for just the weekend of November 23rd, a year-on-year growth of 13% compared to 2017.

Experts estimate that a third of European consumers shop on e-commerce sites, both from their mobile devices and PCs. And while PCs continue to represent more than half of visits, the trend of mobile shopping on smartphones continues to rise, currently standing at 43%.

The fact that the vast majority of offers and sales are increasingly focused on online commerce has much to do with the increase in these figures. To encourage shoppers to purchase via their website or app, many brands offer products, discounts and promotions exclusively online, and if shipping is free (as is often the case during the holiday shopping season), convenience makes shoppers choose online over brick-and-mortar stores.

For this reason, it’s important to keep in mind that planning and a cool head play an increasingly important role when it comes to Christmas shopping: consider all options, compare prices and make a plan in order to avoid unpleasant surprises.
And remember all the tips we posted on our blog last year for getting the most out of your holiday shopping; most importantly, don’t forget to be extra careful when it comes to the security of your debit and credit cards!

Need money for your Christmas purchases? Don’t forget that your online bank gives you the option to comfortably, conveniently and immediately postpone your credit card payment; no paperwork required, and you can choose between paying a percentage of your balanced and a fixed amount.