Dive Brief:

• Michaels is kicking off its holiday deals ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the craft retailer said in a Tuesday press release.
• The retailer is offering markdowns of up to 70% during its Black Friday sale, Nov. 20 through Nov. 29, and its Cyber Week sale, Nov. 30 through Dec. 5. The company is offering “its deepest discounts of the year” on products like yarn, canvas, frames, artificial trees and ornaments, among other products.
• Starting on Black Friday, Michaels is giving away 500 “Countdown to Craftsmas” Advent calendars at each store as a way to encourage screen-free projects for families and friends.

Dive Insight:

Taking a cue from consumers, Michaels is releasing an Advent calendar for people seeking time away from technology over the holidays. The calendar offers 25 days of projects that are designed to be accessible to every craft level. QR codes link to step-by-step tutorials. 

Additionally, one calendar in each Michaels store includes a $100 gift card, and one shopper will win a $10,000 grand prize. 

Eight in 10 parents and 73% of Gen Zers said they want screen-free, hands-on holiday activities, according to an October survey of over 2,500 U.S. adults by Michaels and Morning Consult. 

“The best part of the holidays is the time spent creating together, and we want to make that easy for everyone,” Heather Bennett, chief customer officer at Michaels, said in a statement. “Countdown to Craftsmas gives families a simple project to make together every day, and with our biggest deals of the year, it's more affordable than ever to make something meaningful for the people you love.”

Earlier this year, the crafts retailer reworked its loyalty program to give more perks for its two lower membership tiers and introduced a third tier for shoppers who spend $1,000 or more annually. Months later, the company launched its AI shopping assistant, Ask Mike, which uses customers’ search queries to generate advice and product recommendations. 

Michaels has also taken steps to reshape its brick-and-mortar stores. After launching two experiential stores in Texas and Ohio, the company opened a third experiential store in Arkansas in August. The store concept features a Knit & Sew Shop, a Pinterest Trend Bar with products inspired by creative trends, a combined floral and greenery department and an updated Welcome Center where rewards members can access self-checkout stations. 

This fall, the retailer announced that it expanded its Knit & Sew Shop to over 1,200 stores, and integrated over 1,600 new products across fabric, yarn, sewing and needlecraft. Fabric is now available at nearly 90% of Michaels stores.