Although the temperatures may still be high, many retailers are very much in the holiday spirit with their promotional efforts to get consumers buying. For a variety of reasons, people often choose to shop early for the upcoming Christmas season. As the month of July nears its end, we are officially five months away from Santa’s arrival. What does this mean? For many, it’s the perfect time to find the right gift at the right price. Below are 7 reasons to consider shopping early for your jewelry gift-giving ideas.

Product availability. As the holidays draw near, it becomes increasingly difficult to find exactly what you are looking for in terms of gifts. Because everyone has shopping on their mind, the best and most popular buys are often snatched up in a hurry. If you want to avoid the rush and get everything on your shopping list, now is the time to check out retailers for the best availability.

Competitive pricing. These days, the market is all about supply and demand. When the holidays arrive, the demand will be great and supply may be low. What does this mean? Quite possibly, it could mean higher pricing. If you want to get everything on your list at a competitive price, shop early to ensure that you get a good deal.

Avoid the holiday rush. The day after Thanksgiving is said to be the busiest shopping day of the year. Why? Because everyone is preparing for the next celebration, which is Christmas. If you want to avoid the crowded stores or ‘sold out’ notices on your favorite online jewelry products, now is the time to buy. You will not be competing with the large number of holiday shoppers as you would otherwise be facing later in the year.

Worry-free deliveries. How many times have you ordered something and kept your fingers crossed that it would be delivered in time for Christmas? This feeling is one of the worst, as it always seems to be that special gift that you really wanted to give. If you want to avoid the stress of worrying about whether or not your gift will arrive in time, shop early. If you order now, there’s no doubt that your item will be ready for wrapping this holiday season.

Extra time for personalization. If you purchase a ring that needs sizing, you will enjoy having the additional time to make sure it’s ready in time for gift-giving. If you’ve ever asked a jeweler to size a ring near the holidays, you already know what a task this can be. If you plan to personalize a jewelry item, such as a pendant, bracelet or ring, it’s equally important to allow enough time for the jeweler to complete your order in time for the holidays.

Less likely to overlook someone on your list. We all know that family and close friends are on our Christmas list, but what about the other people in our lives who we may want to send our holiday greetings to this year? Perhaps your mail carrier, doctor, teacher(s), employer, co-workers or other special person would potentially be on your shopping list. One of the best ways to avoid overlooking someone is to start shopping early and, as the old saying goes, “make your list and check it twice.”

Save money on shipping costs. Whether you are ordering an item to be delivered to your home or you plan to ship something to your distant friends or family, shipping costs can quickly add up during the holiday season. This is especially true if you are a last minute shopper and holiday delivery means having to incur express or overnight shipping charges just to make sure the gift(s) arrive in time for gift-giving. Shopping early means having your gifts in plenty of time for regular shipping fees to get your packages delivered.

Almost Diamonds, a popular online retailer specializing in sterling silver jewelry, has a complete line of items featuring cubic zirconia and genuine gemstones in a variety of styles to choose from, many of which would be perfect for Christmas gifts.