In several windows, the “-50%” or more enticing “-70%” have already disappeared.
The sales ended on Tuesday, after forty-two days of fierce promotions.
Yes, forty-two: due to the economic difficulties encountered by traders following the Covid-19 health crisis, the dates of the winter sales, which were initially due to end on February 16, have been postponed by two weeks.
Either an end on March 2: the count is good.
Better in any case than that produced by the shops in downtown Draguignan.
Because for some, the soup with the grimace is not far. But they are few, the professionals of the ready-to-wear, to spit in the said soup: “We don’t complain, because at least we can work”, we hear from this shoe merchant.
Many of them have a thought for colleagues in bars and restaurants, indirect partners during sales periods. “Usually, purchases are encouraged by the places of life that are open all around, underlines Nadine Bœuf, from Boutique chiffon. There, everything is closed …”
All the same, one observation remains, almost unanimous: “Consumption habits have changed.”
Many store managers believe that henceforth, “the intention to buy is more significant”.
Basically, when you push the doors of a store, it’s less for strolling.
“There are fewer people, but more basket”, sums up Jean-Philippe Gaven, head of the JB and Hémisphère boutiques, a trend which, in Nadine Bœuf’s eyes, could not survive the “beautiful days”: “I think it will start again, life will take over. Maybe we will be more careful, it will be difficult, but we must keep hope!”
Promotions too late?
A hope encouraged by the figures achieved by both sides at the end of the year.
“The month of December was particularly good”, notes Andrée Siffre at the Scarpini boutique, joined in his analysis by many merchants.
One reason that perhaps explains a very shy start to the winter sales.
“But it is also because of the delay in the start of the sales”, plague the majority of store managers. Because if we had to wait until the end of January this year, it is usually at the beginning of the month that hostilities are triggered.
In the end, it is still satisfied that the traders end the sales.
“There may be a little more inventory left than last year …”
Not excellent, then. But not catastrophic.
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