A Brighter Trade of Sales!
Thursday, 5 January 2012
ARMAGH retailers appear to be ringing their tills with post-Christmas cheer, with early indications of a steady influx in the number of shoppers coming through the doors.
With the festive shopping finished for another year - and the sales now well underway - the Ulster Gazette spoke to a number of traders in the city about their profits during the Christmas sales. While some businesses have reported a last-minute surge in consumer spending prior to Christmas, others remain hopeful the January sales will ring their tills with joy as shoppers rush to catch a last-minute bargain.
Alan Doak, manager of JR McMahon's on Scotch Street, reported a positive Christmas period this year, as far as expenditure.
“With the weather a big improvement on last year, we have had a fantastic response. With last year's freak weather, it proved difficult for people to walk on the streets to do their shopping.
“With an omnipresent background of an economic doom and gloom, we at McMahon's have certainly found the sales better this year than ever."
Mr Doak also told the Ulster Gazette that Christmas Eve was one of the busiest days the store had experienced in a long time.
“People were holding back to see if we were holding our sales. We certainly had a lot more special offers and promotions to encourage customers," he explained.
According to Mr Doak, customers in Armagh are interested in one-to-one contact with local traders and this comes from shopping locally.
“While Northern Ireland and essentially Armagh is probably predominately independent retailers, this is our benefit, where in England they are multi-based, and consumers are not getting one-to-one attention.
“In my view that is why there are more people shopping in Armagh," added Mr Doak.
However, Anne Gormley, owner of Virtuoso in Scotch Street disagreed that Armagh had been bustling during the festive period and described retail trade in the city over Christmas, as "somewhat of a seesaw".
Ms Gormley said she remained hopeful of increased trade in her shop during the sales.
“My business was never a Christmas-based business, as it is very hard to buy shoes as a Christmas gift. Trade during the sale has been very strong," she said.
Meanwhile, Clifford Ewart, from Ewarts Jewellers in the city, is also remaining hopeful of bumper sales figures this year.
“We just opened up our sales last week. It has been quiet so far, but I am hoping that it will pick up soon with our sales just beginning. Christmas week was a very busy week for us."
Mr Ewart agreed shoppers at his Scotch Street shop have opted to spend their hard earned cash very last minute.
“We had a rather quiet start to the month in December, but things picked up very well last week."
Retail expert Donald McFetridge warned that a true picture on this year's trade will not be known until companies reveal their actual trading figures.
Mr McFetridge, a lecturer at the University of Ulster, said it is important to take a look at the bigger picture, and to remember that, at this stage, we don't know how much was spent. That is the proof of the pudding.
“It's a very mixed bag - some retailers are doing well and some are not doing well. We will only know if takings are up when the trading statements are made in January," he added.
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