Have you ever been out shopping for other people during the holiday season, and the sales were so good you couldn't help but buy something for yourself?
The National Retail Federation calls that self-gifting, and says that this year consumers who do it plan to spend an average of about $140.
Spokeswoman Kathy Grannis says that's the most in the 10 years the NRF has been asking shoppers about the trend.
"People really look forward to the holiday season and the discounts that are offered, because they know that they're going to get items significantly less than they may have any other time of the year. You know, when you see cashmere sweaters that were previously $150 now marked down to $30 and $40, that's a great example of what people would be driven towards," Grannis says.
For Jackie Lerner, last year it was a cherry-red leather purse. Lerner is a psychologist who lives outside Boston, and she's an admitted self-gifter.
"I never really wanted a red purse, but my sister-in-law did, and we were out holiday shopping. Go into the Michael Kors outlet, signs up everywhere, 20, 30, 40 percent off, and there we walked out of the store with two Michael Kors red purses," Lerner says.
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