Calgary retailers bank for big holiday shopping season

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After two and a half years of the pandemic and restrictions, Calgary retailers are welcoming a return to normalcy as local shoppers prepare for Santa to come down the chimney.

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The question for shopkeepers is how fun the season will be.

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Cinder and Sage owner Lindsay Saunders says sales are down this year, including 25% in November, compared to 2020 and 2021, when there was a much more local focus among shoppers. said he did.

“Shopping locally has really helped us over the last few years. Told.

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Cinder and Sage sells Sanders’ jewelry line, as well as many other items sourced primarily from Alberta.

The store was actually only used as an e-commerce business for the first few years, but finally opened a brick-and-mortar store about five years ago. The foundation prepared for the pandemic as retailers faced in-person sales closures and restrictions. Many were forced to turn around, but in some cases helped other stores to respond quickly online.

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They are also facing economic factors that are causing some shoppers to be cautious about spending.

Deloitte’s 2022 holiday retail outlook says a looming recession fueled by high inflation and skyrocketing interest rates is a concern for many Canadians. Marty Weintraub, Canada’s retail industry leader, said from discussions with retailers there are cautions and concerns about the holiday season tied to Canadians’ willingness to spend.

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“It’s not necessarily that we don’t have money, we tend to let go,” he said. “I still believe the holiday season is going to be tougher because the message from banks has actually only gotten a little worse since we took the survey in September.”

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He added that the expansion and emphasis of Black Friday sales continues to eclipse Boxing Day sales, with only a third of Canadians planning to shop after Christmas this year. He said the percentage is dropping about 1-2% each year.

Supply chain issues are challenging all sectors, but Weintraub said that retail is starting to return to normal. In some cases, companies have problems with overstocking due to unreliable supply chains. Where people struggle to get certain items, especially electronics, the availability of options offsets them as long as people are willing to consider other brands.

The year-end and New Year holidays are a time when toy stores are active, and it is also a time that determines the success or failure of the year. Discovery Hut has been forced to take some major steps to stay operational during COVID-19. For example, we opened a store at Crossiron Mills to serve people who would otherwise be excluded due to capacity restrictions. The second place is successful enough to go nowhere.

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The most important thing for co-owner Randy Shapiro is to get back to normal shopping patterns.

“It’s really important to us,” he said. “We provide in-store entertainment and most of our customers are in-store shoppers. means the year of the year.

According to manager James Brewer, one of the big trends is selling board games. This is due to the social aspect that allows people to gather more this Christmas.

Sentry Box, which has sold board games and miniatures in Calgary for 49 years and is one of Canada’s largest board game stores, posted record sales this month without a Black Friday promotion.

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Owner Gordon Johansen said sales are about 15% higher than their all-time high in November. During the pandemic, many families leaned into sitting around a table and playing games, so he wasn’t ready to acknowledge their social nature. I am paying attention to the price.

“Hobby shops and bars will always do well no matter how the economy slows down,” Johansen said. “You may not be able to go out and buy a new computer, a new car, or a fancy TV, but for $50 to $80, you can get a game that will entertain five or six people over and over again. You can, it’s still a pretty good deal, the games are cheap compared to most other things.”

With over 7,000 titles available and much easier to access and browse, online sales make up a small percentage of sales, according to Johansen.

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The Retail Council of Canada released its holiday outlook a few weeks ago. Spending is expected to drop slightly this year, with Alberta expected to spend about $856 this season, down from $869 last year.

35% of people plan to start shopping in November, 28% plan to visit stores on Black Friday, and 21% plan to shop online on Cyber ​​Monday, said Michel Vasilyeshen, national spokeswoman for the RCC. I said I was looking.

She said there is reason to be optimistic about people planning to spend more on food, drink and clothing.

“This means more parties, more opportunities to look good, more face-to-face gatherings, more family gatherings,” she said. I know you care and try to spend as much money as you can, but I know you want to shop and celebrate.”

jaldrich@postmedia.com

twitter: @Joshua Aldrich03