CHRISTMAS SHOPPING HABITS OF UK MUMS REVEALED - Started your Christmas shopping yet? Some of your friends have finished already!

Sshhh its that time of year again…while you are still dreamily remembering days on the beach, the shops are gearing up to start their Christmas sales. Did you know there are just 132 sleeps until the big day?

If this thought doesn’t send you into a blind panic you could be one of the 27% of parents who shop all year round for Christmas presents. A survey commissioned by HEXBUG UK http://hexbug.com
reveals that as a nation many of our mums are a pretty organised bunch and planning for Christmas begins even before the last of the mince pies have been eaten.

The survey asked participants about their shopping habits and some mums make Christmas shopping seem like an Olympic sport: ‘I use a Christmas spreadsheet spanning the past eleven years’ admitted one mum. 27% of mums say they always start their shopping in the January sales and buy presents consistently throughout the year for their children. Although this organisation can sometimes have flaws as one mum admits ‘I tend to buy bits all year and then forget where I have hidden them so end up buying double in December!’

If these super-organised mums make you feel inferior, don’t despair as the survey also found that 51% of mums admit to running around frantically in December scooping up the remnants and making daily trips to the toy shops! And that’s not forgetting dads who unanimously favoured 24th December as their preferred shopping day.

So what of the Christmas in July Lists? All the top toys are announced in July to whet the festive appetite and spark a shopping frenzy. However, just 2% of those surveyed said they were influenced by these lists. The remaining 20% wait until the children go back to school in September to let the festive madness commence.

Heather Corbett, Marketing Manager at HEXBUG UK comments:

‘As a toy company we are endlessly fascinated by shopping habits and finding that shopping sweet spot is the holy grail for many companies - not just toys. This survey tells us that a lot of mums, while influenced by the marketing surrounding Christmas, are super-savvy and organised in their own right and don’t need a December deadline looming to hit the shops hard!’

HEXBUG UK has devised a Top Ten list of shopping tips to help mums make the most of their Christmas shopping all year round - after all, everyone should have the time to make a mulled wine pit-stop!

- Eat smart! If you are doing this in one day you need a good breakfast to see you through until lunch
- Go armed with a list - because your Dad doesn’t need another pair of slippers.
- Check deals - be armed with discounts and special offers before stepping foot out of the door
- Shop alone - if you are doing some serious shopping you need to go solo! You do not need distractions. That doll may be perfect for your friends niece but not for yours!
- Avoid the queues - choose pay desks in the men’s and home departments. They are always less crowded.
- Power Up - you need lunch…see Tip1!
- Know when to stop - Listen up the 27% of all-year round shoppers. Santa’s sleigh can only take so much as can your house!
- Keep all of your receipts -no-brainer…and if they don’t like it you can always buy something in the sales!
- Shop on Christmas Eve - this tip is not for the faint hearted but shops will be quieter!
- Get Online - Grab a mulled wine, put your feet up and avoid the crowds….unless you thrive on the pressure!

Ends.

For further information, please contact Lianne Bertelli at Bertelli Communications on 07739 023 756 or email: lianne@bertellicommunications.co.uk

About HEXBUG:
HEXBUG leveraged their robotics expertise and entered the toy industry in
2007 with the launch of the HEXBUG Micro Robotic Creatures product line.
HEXBUG was designed to give children a positive experience with robotics
at a young age. Our passion for robotics, as demonstrated by our VEX
Robotics program, was the main catalyst fueling HEXBUG's inception. Hence,
the brand was born! People are drawn to the HEXBUG brand for our products’
fascinating behaviour, intelligent bug-like attributes and eye-catching
packaging. Some of the products are so animated, they even fool cats, dogs
and some humans into thinking they are alive!