NEW YORK (Reuters) – Santa’s sleigh rolled out of his garage earlier this year.

Target, Pottery Barn, Ulta Beauty, Gap and PacSun are among the retailers promoting holiday decoration and gifts starting in mid-September amid a global supply chain blockage that threatens to limit the availability of certain goods later during the holiday season.

Americans are expected to spend around $ 1.3 trillion this holiday season, a 7-9% increase from last year, according to Deloitte. Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, typically marks the start of the season in the United States, although large retailers typically start advertising holiday merchandise in early November.

This year, they face shipping issues and other logistical challenges that could prevent them from meeting consumer demand in the fourth quarter if people wait until the last minute to purchase gifts. Target launches holiday promotions between October 10 and 12, compared to October 13 of last year.

“We believe that advertisers will start advertising very soon to persuade consumers” to buy Christmas gifts and merchandise, “said Jed Meyer, senior vice president and head of media for the company. Kantar data analysis.

“This is compounded by the fact that there is a lot of anticipation that there could be delivery delays due to online shopping, especially… near the holidays. “

Pottery Barn’s Instagram posts dated September 17 feature Christmas wreaths for $ 250. It is posting vacation posts several days earlier than in 2020 and more than a month earlier than in 2019. The company was not available to comment on the timing of its advertising for the vacation.

Gap is releasing its gift guides in October in hopes of getting shoppers to start shopping before the holiday gift rush.

“With the continuing and evolving impact of the pandemic on retail, we are giving customers the opportunity to start their holiday shopping early to help ease the holiday rush,” said Mary Alderete, global head of marketing for Gap.

PacSun, which began planning the holidays about four weeks earlier this year, will be hosting its digital campaign events before the holidays in mid-October, as in 2020, President Brieane Olson said.