Christmas shopping survey: 50% of businesses saw unchanged turnover

Karl Borg Bartolo

Jan 9th 2009, 19:07

...and the people still haven't received their electricity bills.... and business still haven't increased their prices following the increase in bills!!

The surcharge at the moment should be higher than 35%, as local economists are saying. Governments in other EU countries are easing 'expenses' on their citizens (Italy and the UK are excellent examples), so that they can be able to spend more and thus this will benefit the economy.

Well... we only copy the EU when it suits us (fejn jaqblilna bil-Malti!).

F.Bartolo Snr.

Jan 8th 2009, 20:41

@Dusty William yes i know i live in the UK, but whats happening is that although the UK is in deep reccession the Matese are coming over spending their euros making Britain rich and Malta poor, do you get my drift? thousands of euros are brought into the UK from Malta, a clever move i say however our poor shops are now suffering due luck of business, and as far as far as ordering on line someone said in the Times the other day, that some on line suppliers are not doing business in Malta because the parcels are either takeing too long to get to their destination or not arriving at all in time, so thats another torn in the side.

Duncan Sant

Jan 8th 2009, 20:23

Both of them come through sales, and if you don't sell you don't increase your turnover and you are not profitable.
So bottom line, businesses, stop abusing your customers because the maths is simple:
no customers = no turnover = no profit

Keith Vella

Jan 8th 2009, 16:55

I would recommend that some of you people learn the difference between “turnover” and “profit”, because if you go into business you will run it into the ground in about 3-5 years.

Duncan Sant

Jan 8th 2009, 16:09

@Kevin Sciberras
I apologise for putting all the businessmen in the same basket. As you said, not all are the same, but most businesses want to become rich overnight.

There are some stores where, beleive it or not, in Malta it is cheaper than in UK or on eBay. However, I rarely look at eBay when comparing prices. I compare prices of local shops with prices of UK shops (not auctions)

For example, a laptop from a local Computer shop costs nearly twice as much as the same model from www.laptopsdirect.co.uk.

This is what bothers me... while I appreciate that these UK shops may get bulk discounts and maltese shops don't, it is still unacceptable to have prices doubled in Malta.
I think it is also time for businesses to start investing in Online Marketing and Selling, or even being just an online shop like www.med-way.com therefore keeping overheads to a minimum and being able to lower the price. All you need is a good website, regularly updated (very important), online ordering and above all PROPERLY PROMOTED. You will then see a growth in your business and not at our expense...

Maria Agius

Jan 8th 2009, 15:19

I detect an Election for the European Parliament very soon,I also detect one or two fairly prominent people hoping for selection as prospective canditates.It all started with a kiss over the New year and it will go on for some time,the licking I mean as well as the good news..

And no,you wouldn't call me cynical.

Peter Murray

Jan 8th 2009, 14:55

As with virtually all such surveys it is never disclosed exactly how many people or companies were consulted to formulate and corroborate any claims arising from the results of such surveys and such figures may therefore be easily contrived or concocted,and ultimately what proportion or cross-section these represented.Who conducted this one-Hans and Christian Andersen by any chance?Ask anyone with a business next time you go into a shop-they'll all tell you the same thing..its been the worst Xmas in living memory.Please stop insulting our intelligence with such nonsense.

Kevin Sciberras

Jan 8th 2009, 14:26

Tony Cassar and Duncan Sant.

Please do not put all Maltese businessmen in the same category. I invite you to come to my store and compare my prices with those on the internet!

There are some "honest" businessmen around. I try to keep my prices comparable with UK and US sites but I still get people coming in and requesting up to 50% discounts! The price is the price and if you do not like it: shop around!

M. Xuereb

Jan 8th 2009, 14:20

@Duncan Sant - My words actually! Don't get me wrong shops obviously need to make a profit however to still be making a profit on 50% to 70% sales i start asking myself questions.
I did the majority of my shopping online this Christmas mainly from a site called rewardlover and saved a small fortune.

patrick grixti

Jan 8th 2009, 14:07

Just on 17th December, in the same paper, GRTU was singing a different tune in line with yet another survey. May I ask how many were interviewed and in what cathegoy? Oh Perhaps someone read a book titled how to lie with Statistics?

lgalea

Jan 8th 2009, 13:19

I suggest that TV stations go themselves and interview shopkeepers because this stinks.

Guess Mr Farrugia does not want to upset his master since he's going to contest the EP election on his ticket.

Maria Dolores Fenech

Jan 8th 2009, 13:06

Can the GRTU tell us which survey are we to believe in?
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081217/local/smes-report-drop-in-sales/

Or is it the case that Mr Vince Farrugia, who is considering entering the political field , is now playing another tune?

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081228/local/grtu-boss-expected-to-run-on-nationalist-ticket/

Dusty William

Jan 8th 2009, 13:03

A DAB Radio fro UK 44euros including post same radio from malta 90euros, same radio - unbelievable. A digital frame from ebay cost 175 Euros from local shop 298 Euros. WHY

R.Farrugia

Jan 8th 2009, 12:55

This monkey business has to stop once and for all. After every special festivity the GRTU comes out with sales statistic which confirm that our businessmen are always moaning. With all this financial turmoil all over the world 50% of them reported the same sales return as last year. Therfore we are not that bad compared with other countries where even big names like Woolworths and M&S have sacked workers and some even closing down.

c.t. busuttil

Jan 8th 2009, 12:51

Very few business men offer a genuine Sale. Its a time for clearing out for them, and a few suckers fall for it. Some even impose that you have to purchase two of an item. Its all one-sided. The money's yours, so make sure you get a genuine deal before you part with it. You don't have to buy!

hadrian agius

Jan 8th 2009, 12:24

i just recieved a brand new 13 in 1 remote control I bought from the uk on Ebay. Price 4.99 sterling including postage(That is approx. €7). The same remote in an electronics shop in Sliema costs €36!!!!

daniel farrugia

Jan 8th 2009, 12:19

@ mr.stafrace
I just said my opinion (for the first time)! And its very simple I just received some clothes today and i can assure you that the van carrying goods from abroad was full up with clothes !! if you afford the prices that maltese shop owners give to the same items found with online shopping good for you!

DRizzo

Jan 8th 2009, 12:14

I am surprized that business was not booming since the Manwel Dimech Bridge was open on both sides?? Wasn't this the excuse for Christmas of 2007?? It is amazing to see rising prices everywhere and wages are stagnated. What do the shop owners expect - even at 50% off, the shops are way out of line in pricing, especially for anyone to spend what remains of their meager disposable income after paying your water and power bill!

peter grech

Jan 8th 2009, 12:12

its incredible these GRTU statistics.
With who ever i speak everyone complains of lower sales. who are these 50% then?

Charmaine Chetcuti

Jan 8th 2009, 11:59

have you ever notices what sort of items are put for sale? I rarely purchase in sale periods because the majority of the clothing retailers sell at discounted prices leftover clothes from old stocks and not from that season's stock..

Yesterday I went to Valletta and I thought I was in the middle of summer because all I could find for sale were summer tops! And to add insult to injury they are only suited to be worn in carnival because they're horrible!!!! High end shops change overnight into the local church's bazaar with no offence to the bazaar!

charles borg

Jan 8th 2009, 11:51

I have been in business for these last 8 years and this xmas was my worst ever, with a decline of 12% over last year. Please note that In these last 8 years nobody ever came to me for surveys.

Duncan Sant

Jan 8th 2009, 11:34

So with sales already started over the Christmas period, business made a profit all the same....this shows just how much shops rip-off the maltese consumer during the rest of the year. How can a shop make a 50% sale, and still end up making an increase in profit? 2 reasons come to mind:
1. The original prices where way overpriced
2. The 50% sale is a gimmick and prices were in reality not reduced by 50% (this fraud was discovered some months ago in Italy)

Just goes more to confirm what Tony Cassar and others have been saying for a long time...BUY ONLINE, IT'S CHEAPER

raphael stafrace

Jan 8th 2009, 11:19

i happened to have good acquantice with a lot of shop owners and all of them said this was a very bad christmas.mr farrugia are you now changing the tune now you are going to contest for an mep?

iovnann DeMartino

Jan 8th 2009, 11:19

Opera Tosca onb 2 CD's sung by none other than Gigli and Caniglia cost me just 9 euro direct from the UK. Postage and packing included.

Mario Bonnici

Jan 8th 2009, 11:16

It's incredible how you PN bloggers keep trying to give the impression that buisness is as usual. That we're living in a unique country almost like heaven!!!

How come nobody mentioned the fact that many shop owners had to start sales before christmas beacuse of a slow down?!

daniel farrugia

Jan 8th 2009, 11:01

I think the decrease is mainly because of online shopping. I bought a jeans and a jacket from a particular site, if i bought the same items from malta the price would have been 70euros higher (I'm including the postage fee to the ones bought from abroad)! can somebody explain why in malta everythong is higher??? when we have less pay than for example England !!

Karl Abela

Jan 8th 2009, 10:55

A good business man will take every opportunity to declare lower sales in order to declare lower taxation on revenue.....

What did we think? Honest person equals not a good businessman!!!!

Jason Abdilla

Jan 8th 2009, 10:34

and I also think that some of the reduced business is not solely due to the crisis but also to the competition. I mean, I lived in Hamrun for the last 20 years. 15-20 years ago, we had maybe..3,4,5 clothing shops? There must be at least 30-40 in St.Joseph High Street alone today, so they cannot expect same business.

Also, thanks to the free movement of goods, and the euro, it's easier to compare prices, and myself, and many people are know have bought their Xmas books, CDs, mobiles, and other presents online, saving quite subtantially...

Tony Cassar

Jan 8th 2009, 10:30

I've said it once, and I'll say it again.

Local businessmen should wake up, smell the coffee and adapt themselves to the new reality of online shopping and lower profit margins.

I have made only one Christmas purchase locally last year. All the others I did through websites based abroad, particularly in the UK (which is more convenient at the moment due to the decreasing value of the pound.

It simply does not make sense any more to buy stuff from here at twice the price you would get it from abroad. And I'm not talking about console games and the like...but clothing, footwear and everything else under the sun.

Joseph Zammit

Jan 8th 2009, 10:04

The Maltese in General always grumble when it comes to finances, but when one looks at a general overview nothing seems to have slowed the spending power nor any huge losses in deposits, if I recall correctly the last statistics showed that the Maltese had 8 times as much the government’s budget deposited in banks. Well it definitely shows we are a wise population but we have to cut some of the grumbling and keep looking forward.

R. Gatt

Jan 8th 2009, 09:53

But then businessmen are never satisfied, are they? One can see it most by the way they put up sales targets for their reps once the last one has been reached. It's not too often that any of them sell their fancy boat or car or overseas luxurious holidays due to drop in sales or not inproving sales.

Eugenio Taliana

Jan 8th 2009, 09:42

Businesses always grumble, whether they make profit and much more if they don't make profit - it would be stupid for the government to believe them when they say that the utility tariffs are too expensive for them to pay!