Many top fashion outlets advancing sales by five days

Some of the larger fashion distribution outlets and stores yesterday jumped the gun on the sales period that historically opens the day of the Epiphany and filled their windows with post-Christmas sales prices. Fashion leaders such as Mango, H & M, Desigual, Benetton, Cortefiel labels such as Springfield, Women’s Secret and El Corte Ingles’ Sfera division were quick to take advantage of the confusion surrounding the official sales’ dates, copying other countries without the tradition of the Reis sales, offering discounts up to 50% on some products. Obviously, online global traders Amazon were not far behind.

Meanwhile, their traditional competitors are holding off until the 7th, when shops will open despite the 1st official day of sales this year falling on a Sunday. Among these are most local traders but also other divisions of the Inditex group, such as Zara, Massimo Dutti, Berschka and El Corte Ingles itself. While many see the change as a move towards following global markets and consumer patterns, more blame the incursion of Internet in bringing changes in consumer behaviour and as a result, forcing off-line commerce to react and adapt in any way possible to keep clients. Whatever the cause, it is clear that the market is now breaking rules that once seemed unbreakable.