How the COVID-19 surge will affect holiday shopping

  Amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, experts have been predicting for months that the holiday shopping season

will start much earlier this year, as retailers attempt to compensate for a decline in brick-and-mortar shopping and a change in consumer behavior. But now, as the number of confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the U.S. continues to surge, recently hitting one million in November alone, that prediction is quickly turning into reality—and it has many experts urging consumers to start their holiday shopping now to avoid inevitable shipping delays and product shortages. 

Not only will the current spike in COVID-19 cases likely increase demand for certain products—and thus impact shipping times and supply—but a Coresight Research survey also found that more than 25% of shoppers expect to start holiday shopping earlier than usual in 2020. Many retailers are pivoting to address the needs of shoppers by starting their Black Friday deals early. Amazon, for instance, has confirmed that its Black Friday deals will drop before the day itself, and other retailers are following suit, like Home Depot, whose holiday sales are already underway.

We, at Reviewed, are all about helping you buy the right things at the right prices at the right times. And that includes all of your holiday presents. If you want to get a jump on your gift giving this year, below is everything you need to know about holiday shopping during a pandemic, along with this year's holiday shipping deadlines and what gifts are predicted to sell out.

While curating our gift guides (from the best gifts that don't require shipping to the year's most popular stocking stuffers), our experts have found that some things are already sold out or low in stock—like the Sonos Arc soundbar on Amazon or the wildly popular Golden Goose sneakers—so if there's something specific you've had your eye on, you'll want to order it ASAP.

Why you should start holiday shopping early

To avoid delayed gifts or sold-out stock, experts recommend starting your holiday shopping sooner rather than later. "With potential product shortages continuing, if you see something you know you want, go ahead and buy it," Karl Haller, partner and retail industry expert at IBM Global Business Services, advises.

If you've bought anything online the last few months, you've probably experienced shipping delays—and that's likely a trend that will continue into the holiday season. "We expect to see continued pressure on shipping, as more packages flow through the system. We have already seen some of the major carriers impose fees on package shipping in anticipation of this," Haller says, adding that IBM also expects further increases in alternative delivery options like buy online, pick up in store (BOPIS), curbside pick-up, package lockers, etc. 

In light of what's predicted to be heavier-than-usual shipping needs this year, retailers and shipping companies alike are preparing the best way they can. Amazon told USA Today that the e-commerce giant is adding new transportation capacity and hiring 100,000 new employees in anticipation of the high holiday demand, while Fedex is hiring 70,000 workers (a 27 percent increase over last year).

Holiday shipping deadlines 2020

If you want your package to arrive by Christmas Day, below are the deadlines for some of the largest shipping companies, according to both the USPS's recently-released dates and EasyShip. Important note: While the below dates are good guidelines to follow, please keep in mind that these dates could change based on demand as we get further along in the season.

The most popular gifts to buy now before they sell out

You now know when to shop—but how about what to shop? Experts expect an increase in demand for products and tangible gifts, as opposed to experiential gifts (like concert tickets, events, etc.) since people are unsure of what the year ahead holds. "We’ve already seen this happen over the recent Mother’s and Father’s Day holidays, where popular general merchandise categories saw sales lift for the week that was two and three times what it was in 2019," Marshal Cohen, Chief Industry Advisor of Retail at The NPD Group, said in a release.

Our own shopping experts have spent the last few weeks rounding up all of the year's most popular gifts, whether you're shopping for your mom, your sister, your boyfriend, or your kids. Some of the top gifts we expect could sell out quickly? The cult-favorite Apple AirPods Pro, the Gravity weighted blanket that everyone's obsessed with, and the wildly popular Always Pan.



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