Are Retailers Taking Advantage of the Red, White, and Blue?

What are your plans for the Fourth of July? For most Americans, this midsummer holiday offers a chance to lie low with friends and family and enjoy nice weather and a day off from work. Almost 70% of Americans, totaling 164 million people (a record high), say they will be celebrating with a cookout, BBQ, or picnic. Meanwhile, only 12% say that they will hit the road to go on vacation, despite an increase in the amount of consumers saying that gas prices will have no effect on their holiday plans (NRF
Independence Day Survey, 2013).

Celebrating the holiday in a basic and traditional manner allows people to connect with some of life’s simple pleasures – friends, family, food, and the outdoors. Retailers echo this sentiment by providing deals on everything from BBQs and appliances to patio sets and pies to appeal to Americans’ desire to celebrate in the home and around the grill. An alternative event to typical retail promotion is 4 Days 4 America. This nationwide program encourages consumers to buy U.S. made products in the four days leading up to the Fourth to take advantage of the increased patriotism
surrounding the holiday.

While there has been a recent push toward buying from local and small businesses, retailers and consumers seem to neglect this thought when selling and buying products for the Fourth of July. Besides incorporating the flag or “red, white, and blue” tag lines, specific language about buying U.S. or locally made products is not leveraged as much as it could be during this holiday. For a holiday that celebrates country, home, and tradition, do you think retailers could find additional success over the Fourth of July sales period by emphasizing American-made and local products?

Photo Source: NYTimes.com