Bonanza Christmas as shops open early and stay on late

Fancy buying a designer evening dress at 8.30 in the morning or a fridge-freezer at ten o'clock at night? Well, now it's December you can, because the larger retailers are gearing up for a bonanza shopping year.

It is predicted that this Christmas consumers will have more spending power than ever before, and competition among retailers has never been so intense. In the run up to Christmas shops will stay open longer, offer shoppers extra free services, spend money on national advertising campaigns and even organise free in-store parties.

The most noticeable feature of the retail environment during December is what marketers would call "increased opportunities to buy". Pre-Christmas shop opening hours make all the rows about Sunday trading and late night shopping seem quaint.

In the Liffey Valley Centre, in west Dublin, Christmas started early with seasonal trading hours beginning in November. The entire centre is now open until 10 p.m. on most weekdays, until 8 p.m. on Saturdays and until 7 p.m. on Sundays. In nearby, Blanchardstown, the seasonal opening hours are similar and this year management will again be organising a shoppers' night on December 6th. This is different from most in-store incentives in that it is an evening specially targeted at people with special needs. Santa Claus, mince pies, minerals and even a male voice choir are laid on and all retailers are encouraged to participate.

The Powerscourt Centre in Dublin reopened in the middle of the year after a major revamp and it is using its annual Christmas party as a way of showcasing its new look. Clarendon Holdings, which runs and markets the centre, has for 10 years held a glitzy Christmas party and this year it has invited 1,500 shoppers to a private shoppers' night on December 7th.

To take the commercial edge off the proceedings, the evening will look and feel like a Christmas party, with the Cafe Orchestra playing, wine and canapes on offer and novelty items such as makeovers available to partygoers. The commercial side of the evening is the 10 per cent discount offered by all the centre's retailers. As a further marketing exercise, Clarendon has put together a gift guide, made up of items available in Powerscourt's shops, to be distributed to shoppers in the run-up to Christmas.

For shopping centre management, such Christmas events are not only a smart way of publicising what is on offer in their centres, it is also a way of making leaseholders feel that they are truly getting the benefit of being part of a group of shops.

Individual department stores also gear up to attract Christmas shoppers. Brown Thomas has started an intensive campaign to attract shoppers. Starting with their elaborate windows (which this year are disappointingly adult in their appeal), the shop offers a variety of consumer pleasing incentives. This year, it will be employing extra personal shoppers who will be available to shoppers who want help in choosing a gift. The service is free and Brown Thomas say the shoppers will be able to advise on gifts for all ages in all price ranges. There will also be a free gift wrap service for items bought in the store, complete with specially commissioned velvet ribbon.

These services are fairly standard for upmarket department stores at this time of the year, but Brown Thomas has upped the ante for other traders on Grafton Street by opening at 8.30 am during Christmas week. There will also be at least one special shopping evening during December, which the shop traditionally runs in association with a credit card company.