// Selfridges launches Christmas shop, 149 days before Christmas Day
// It is once again the first retailer to begin selling Christmas merchandise
// Selfridges said its tradition of launching Christmas early helps to boost annual sales
Selfridges has once again partaken in the tradition of being the first retailer to begin selling Christmas merchandise with the launch of its Christmas shop, 149 days before the big day.
The luxury department store said the theme of its new Christmas Shop is Future Fantasy, which aims to celebrate the enduring magic of Christmas by rethinking traditional, beloved festive stories and retelling them through a modern lens.
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Even Santa has undergone a sleek makeover by becoming Future Fantasy Santa, and both and he and a “traditional” Santa will roam Selfridges during the Christmas season to delight children and grown-ups alike.
As in previous years, Selfridges will launch its Christmas Shop in two phases, with phase two set to launch on September 2 with the complete, full-scale product offer.
The first phase launched today with 100 more product lines than in 2018, bringing the total choice to well over 600 lines.
Selfridges said that when the full scale Christmas shop opens in September, the selection will increase to 3500 lines.
The department store said the ongoing success of the summer launch of its Christmas shop boosts year-on-year sales, driven by both domestic early Christmas shoppers and souvenir-hunting overseas customers keen on bringing back home mementos of a London Christmas.
“We’ve been opening the doors to our Christmas shop during the summer for many years and our customers consider Selfridges a real destination for fans of Christmas and festive decorations within and outside the UK,” Selfridges Christmas and home buyer Eleanor Gregory said.
“Some customers return to us year after year, excited at the prospect of discovering the new ranges and adding to their collections.
“We have so many customers visiting from all over the world, eager to snap up festive decorations and souvenirs on their London summer holidays which they can’t buy at home.”
She added: “Our summer Christmas shop launch simply addresses the growing demand for convenience Christmas shopping outside the traditional Christmas season from many of our customers – they include a large number of domestic customers who love to Christmas shop very early in the year to get it wrapped and taken off their to-do list.
“They also tell us that they like to be able to take their pick of the very best selection available, whilst the range we offer is at its most comprehensive.”
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