Christmas is fast approaching and many are taking the opportunity to buy their last gifts. However, the atmosphere is very different from recent years in malls.
Crowds are much smaller this year and the economic context has something to do with it.
This is a reality that affects many merchants who are seeing a decline in their sales volume this year.
The Place du Realm shopping center in Saguenay is less crowded than before despite the celebrations quickly approaching.
“It’s really very different from other years,” said Melissa Dompierre, Maison Lavande store manager.
“Five years ago, there were a lot of people. People were buying. Today it has decreased a lot. “There are fewer people in the evening, and we realize that there is no one in the shopping center, and we have to close early,” Melanie Levesque noted. , director of Les Canardises.
Different customs
Traders agree that the increased traffic usually observed in December is giving way to a steady pace this year. It also appears that consumption habits have changed due to the economic context. Many people are admitting to cutting their gift budget this year and shopping based on discounts. Others prioritize online purchases.
“The baskets are really different. We are already seeing that people are buying less,” noted Ms. Dompierre of Maison Lavande.
Rose Bon Bon Boutique has selected a selection of local products based on the current economic context.
“The average budget per gift has decreased. We have also had to adapt through product selection. We are still promoting 70 Quebec businesses here at Rose Bon Bon. We have seen a slowdown in local purchases during the year. There is “We see that people have this awareness and come to give us their support.”
Retailers remain optimistic even if many have seen their sales volume decline this year.
“For the last weekend before Christmas, we hope to have a lot of people,” hopes Canardises director Melanie Levesque.
Ms Locklear added: “This year, we are lucky that Christmas arrives on a Sunday, so that gives us another weekend.”
Regional merchants have only one desire: that customers prioritize purchasing local products.
“This money will stay in our area and help us get through next year,” Rose Bon Bon store owner confirmed.
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