Retailers reported more positive results throughout last year, when compared with the previous year, but concerns about parking problems and online competitors remained, according to a survey by the GRTU – Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises being published today.
Chamber CEO Abigail Psaila Mamo said the Enterprise End of Year Survey results, compiled by the GRTU in recent weeks, confirmed that retailers enjoyed the highest sales during the few days before Christmas.
“While in general sales were positive throughout the year, the run-up to Christmas remains, by far, the best week for sales,” Ms Psaila Mamo told this newspaper.
She said the results indicated that customers had planned ahead less and many carried out most of their Christmas shopping at the last minute.
The chamber also asked retailers about the more-recent shopping event to be added to retailers’ calendars, Black Friday. The US phenomenon sees shops and online outlets having massive sales on the last Friday of November.
Ms Psaila Mamo said that, while not all shops had offered deals on Black Friday last year, the survey results showed that those that offered such discounts were satisfied with the outcome.
The run-up to Christmas remains, by far, the best week for sales
She said retailers expected the event to become more popular this year as more stores came on board.
The survey also confirmed preliminary indications gathered by the Chamber last year which showed there was widespread concern about the ill effects of online shopping, Ms Abela Mamo said.
Clothes shops and those selling IT products were the most affected by online shopping and the GRTU was working on helping retailers integrate this more-recent phenomenon with their existing practices.
Some were very flexible and willing to move their business online but others hesitated and the GRTU was striving to get these retailers on board.
The majority of retailers also complained of parking problems, an issue which was of concern for shop owners in all areas.
“The results clearly show that parking problems have an impact on sales. This was a concern that came out in a number of surveys carried out in the past,” Ms Psaila Mamo said.