DALLAS -- 7-Eleven Inc. is again positioning itself as the place for procrastinating consumers to purchase last-minute holiday gifts. Other convenience chains are sure to follow suit for shopping in the St. Nick of time.
Alan Beach, 7-Eleven, Inc.'s vice president of merchandising, said, "Historically, Christmas Day is one of the busiest shopping days at 7-Eleven. And one of the days we sell the most Big Bite hot dogs, too."
Suggestions include the recently released DVD of The Simpsons Movie; a prepaid wireless phone with unlimited [image-nocss] nights and weekends, a plush black teddy bear, iPod accessories, a bottle of California wine and fresh flowers, among other possibilities.
For three years, 7-Eleven has raised funds for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital by selling a plush teddy bear. For every bear purchased, 7-Eleven will make a $3 donation to St. Jude's to fund research to help cure catastrophic childhood diseases. The curly-haired, ultra-soft bear comes in black this year with the green St. Jude logo monogrammed on his paw and a matching green ribbon around his neck. A great gift all by itself, the St. Jude bear also can multi-task, serving as a cute gift card-holder. Suggested retail price is $8.99.
Time is not the only thing at a premium this shopping season, according to the Dallas-based retail giant. Watching the holiday budget is the No. 1 item on many lists, it said. According to one study, almost one-fourth of Americans said they would spend less on Christmas gifts this year in light of economic worries about rising fuel prices, interest rates and uncertainty in the housing industry. As "needs" replace "wants" on wish lists, many are looking at practical presents like gift cards for gasoline and groceries.
7-Eleven has expanded its gift card selection this year and offers 20 different cards, includingalong with its own proprietary cardsthose for online music, game stores, electronics, department stores, electronics, sporting goods, home improvements and household stores, as well as restaurants and entertainment, in denominations from $7.99 to $50.
And available exclusively at 7-Eleven, The Christmas Album features all-time Christmas favorites from various artists including All-4-One, Fourplay, Al Jarreau, Natalie Cole and Vanessa Williams. The 7-Eleven collection's other three titles include holiday hymns and carols by Willie Nelson, Amy Grant as well as "Christmas Classics on Piano." For every CD sold, a $1 donation will be made to the Feed The Children organization.
Where there are gifts, there's got to be giftwrap. Adding to the convenience of last-minute holiday shopping, 7-Eleven has stocked gift boxes, bags and tags as well as small stuffed animals to carry home gift cards with style. Consumers will spend approximately $1.7 billion purchasing Christmas greeting cards, more than on cards for any other season. Gift wrap is suitable for products carried at participating stores: gift cards, wine, CDs, chocolates, toys and lottery tickets. Postage stamps and two sizes of bubble-wrap mailers are available for long-distance gift-giving at some stores.
For consumers who have their shopping under control, 7-Eleven stores are open and ready to help out in those unforeseen emergency situationsbatteries not included, digital camera on the fritz, missing recipe ingredient, or just as an escape from all the family togetherness.
And separately, this New Years Eve, from 5 pm on New Years Eve until 5 am on New Years Day, all Cumberland Farms locations will be giving away a cup of coffee.
"We want to thank our customers this holiday season," said Ari Haseotes, vice president of marketing for Canton, Mass.-based Cumberland Farms. "The goal of our free coffee program is to help them stay alert, and keep safe on the roads."
The free coffee is available at all Cumberland Farms stores across the Northeast and Florida except for those with Dunkin Donuts service.
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