Balgarianovinite.com Marketing experts Justine Toms and Etien Yanev discussed trends in Christmas shopping in Bulgaria for BTA, highlighting the impact of inflation on gift budgets and changes in consumer behaviour in recent years.
In 2025, Christmas shopping in Bulgaria is showing a hybrid trend, combining traditional habits with rapid adoption of Western digital tools, said Justine Toms, a marketing specialist, online entrepreneur and lecturer. Gift shopping is often a family affair, with major purchases such as appliances made around Black Friday. While Western European budgets for Christmas gifts have declined by around 10%, Bulgarians tend to spend larger sums. Spending on holiday food still exceeds gifts and is a key focus for marketing campaigns, she noted.
Consumers shop more at Christmas, when they typically receive bonuses. This year, approaching Bulgaria’s entry in the eurozone on January 1 has also boosted spending, as shoppers aim to convert Bulgarian leva into goods. Toms highlighted the challenges of shopping amid inflation, including impulse buying and vulnerability to fraudulent online campaigns.
She added that a common business mistake is the absence of promotions or early communication of offers. Effective marketers shape demand rather than just respond to it, with major producers of traditional Christmas items, such as chocolates, wine, clothing and cosmetics, preparing for the next Christmas season immediately after the new year. Promotions, channels and messaging are often ready by summer to generate consumer desire.
Global trends increasingly influence local markets, and AI-generated content facilitates localization. While social media overload has caused fatigue, personalized marketing is the future. Toms stressed that reliance solely on platforms like Facebook or Instagram is costly, particularly for small businesses, and emphasized building customer databases, understanding consumer needs, and maintaining authentic, value-added engagement.
In recent years, consumers have shifted to “hybrid shopping”, researching online but often purchasing in-store or vice versa, said Etien Yanev, a digital marketing expert and lecturer. The main change is seen in timing: Christmas shopping now begins as early as Black Friday in November.
The primary impact of inflation is reduced purchasing power, making consumers more price-sensitive and cautious, with growing scepticism towards fake discounts. Shoppers are focusing on fewer but more considered purchases, Yanev said.
Marketers increasingly rely on purchase histories, website behaviour, representative surveys and AI-driven demand forecasting, rather than on demographics alone. Strategies this season focus on integrating online and offline channels and turning social media into direct sales platforms. In Bulgaria, prices and discounts remain decisive, while Western Europe is more focused on sustainability and ethical production.
Common marketing mistakes include logistical unpreparedness, poor communication and generic visuals that fail to differentiate the brand. Yanev said psychological and social factors drive higher Christmas spending, with shopping perceived both as a festive act and a reward for efforts made during the year. Buying itself stimulates dopamine release in the brain and produces a feeling of happiness.
For small businesses, he recommended focusing on high-quality service, personal attention, highlighting brand uniqueness and story, collaborating with local micro-influencers with a loyal following and preparing attractive solutions for last-minute shoppers. Marketing Experts Note Shift to Hybrid Shopping, Analyse Inflation’s Impact on Gift Buying 2025 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2025-12-27 10:23:00 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law
