This year they are using the excuse that they expect the holiday season to be weaker because of the toy recalls.

Christmas started in September this year — at least in the toy aisles at Wal-Mart Stores Inc — even as retailers worry that parents may approach toy shopping with trepidation this holiday season after massive numbers of toys were recalled in recent months.

So to jump-start holiday shopping, the world’s largest retailer began cutting prices on toys in its stores on Sunday, September 30, and will be introducing special price cuts on hot toys each week during October.

“It’s a little bit earlier and a little bit deeper,” Laura Phillips, Wal-Mart’s chief toy officer, said of the timing of this year’s holiday toy promotions and the size of the price reductions.

Truth is, they get earlier and earlier each year when it comes to defining the “holiday sales season”. In a few more years the only “non-holiday” season will be January through March.

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