Memorial Day has returned, which allows the American people to remember and honor all the men and women who died in service to their country.
It also means there will be a lot of sales being offered.
In the same way that Black Friday serves as the traditional start of the holiday season, Memorial Day has come to symbolize the start of summer. It’s easy to see why: the weather gets warmer, people host parties and barbeque events (which we can start doing again!), and Memorial Day parades offer a tease of the summertime patriotism that will be on full display July 4.
1. So What’s The Deal?
Take furniture and mattress sales, for example. Every year the ads for furniture sales start getting played in early May, and every year there’s always a few SUVs and pickups loaded down with new furniture slowly cruising on the highways.
The logic works like this: the month of May generally sees a rise in the number of people spending money. And if a customer plans on buying some new appliance like a stand-alone freezer or a king-size bed, the three-day weekend at the end of the month can be invaluable for testing, purchasing, and installing.
Other small factors come into play that add to the spending. May traditionally serves as prom season, graduation season, and the kickoff to the summer wedding season. It’s also the time when summer vacation plans that have been simmering for months move into active mode, which means deposits have to be paid.
2. The Moving Factor
In addition to outdoor activities, the summertime months also tend to be the most popular time for people to move.
This makes sense, especially to anyone with experience trying to load a rental truck during a winter snowstorm. It’s obviously not impossible to move in, say, November, but if you’ve got a choice, why not do it when the weather gets warmer?
But it’s not just the favorable weather that gets people more willing to move. Kids move out and go to college during the summer months, and renters looking for the best housing options tend to find them between June and September. And moving frequently means having to purchase new stuff for the home, which can include everything from the furniture mentioned above to cutlery.
And speaking of home spending…
3. Sales for Everything
While furniture and appliance sales get the most attention during Memorial Day, those aren’t the only things suddenly going on sale in May.
Work clothes, casual wear, bathing suits, footwear, patio furniture, living room throw pillows, deck paneling, portable speakers, and anything else that can improve a home gets marked for Memorial Day sales.
Maybe it’s the idea of refreshing the home after winter doldrums and spring cleaning. Or it could be the anticipation of a big summer trip that requires a new wardrobe. Possibly it’s the upcoming relocation of a family member to a college campus or the arrival of a new pet. Whatever the reality, Memorial Day weekend serves as the unofficial starting line for those summer changes.