Traders report brisk Christmas shopping
Bermudians must continue to shop on island if they want to maintain locally available sources and supply of goods, retailers say.
The Government’s most recently available sales figures showed some improvement in the retail sales index this year to July.
After adjusting for the retail sales rate of inflation, measured at 4.4 per cent for the period, the overall volume of retail sales index increased 3 per cent when compared with July 2022, in the figures released this week.
Tamara Richardson, the chief executive of People’s Pharmacy, said the business had experienced a return to normalcy since Covid.
However, she said there will be less available on island if shoppers continue to send their dollars directly overseas.
“Our goal has been to try and get back to better than 2019 numbers and it looks as though we are on track this year to best that in key categories.
“People do seem to be stretching their dollars further, prioritising health and medicine purchases and focusing more on toys that give value over just spending for the sake of the holiday.
“Also, our sales and promotions have been very popular and well received. The fact that there are just less people on island continues to be a struggle.”
Eugene O’Connor, the joint owner of Bermuda Green Thumb, said that Christmas shopping was “brilliant”.
“Sales are good,” he said. “We are seeing an increase in the number of people shopping locally which is a big benefit.”
He said he was working with local vendors who had items for sale, “acting as a base for them”, while also offering the Green Thumb’s own lines.
“We kicked off Christmas earlier this year because of the demand. We are happy to see new shoppers as well as returning customers.”
Jordan Carey, a fine art artist and owner of the Loquat Shop in the Washington Mall, said: “I have a shop in Portland, Maine, and I come home to do key events. This is my first time doing Christmas and it has been pretty good. I am pleased with the response from people.”
Jennifer Page, co-owner of Cassine on Reid Street, said Christmas shopping had been going very well.
“I like to think that over the two years that we have been in this space that we have made a Cassine community, so people like to come back.”
On shopping locally, she added: “I am a firm believer that choice matters and convenience helps buyers make easier choices.
“People’s has worked very hard to improve our website, improve our prices compared to Amazon and to improve our product selection.
“There is an importance to shopping locally, if Bermudians want to maintain local sources and supply of goods.
“There are customers who call us at the last minute in a panic because shipments didn’t arrive on time, items arrived broken or were not what they expected. Over time, there will continue to be less and less available here if we continue to send our dollars overseas.
“While that might be good for the individual, in the short term, I am not sure how good it is for maintaining a healthy retail industry in Bermuda, and creating the many additional jobs our economy so desperately needs.”
Government figures released this week along with the July retail sales showed an uptick in what residents are importing when returning from overseas travel.
Their airport declarations for that period increased by $400,000 to $4.3 million. Imports via the Bermuda Post Office increased by $200,000 to $500,000.
Reflecting on People’s Pharmacy’s bestsellers this year, Ms Richardson said: “The first thing that comes to mind is the PlayStation 5. We cannot keep them on the shelf despite their very high price tag, we have a bundle for $950. And as soon as they arrive in store, they are gone.
“For the younger customers, we are finding that items that have greater play value are in demand, like dolls, pretend play and building sets. I haven’t seen the hype that we have had in the past over one specific toy.”
Michelle Viera, is one of the owners of Soltrino, an online store that is now operating its first Christmas bricks and mortar shop.
“We've been online since 2016, selling swimwear, resort wear and sun gear,” said Ms Viera. “This year, we started as a pop-up in the Washington Mall and continued to see how it went.
“Figuring out what to sell in the cooler months was challenging since people know us for their summer wardrobes. We've decided that our main products in the summer are swimwear and sun gear; in winter and spring, they are raincoats and rain gear.”
She added: “I've learnt about retail since moving into a physical space. It differs from running an online store, where most of our communication with customers is through e-mail or when we deliver to their homes or offices.
“Operating as a bricks-and-mortar store is very beneficial as I see shopping habits, what catches people's eye in our store windows, and have conversations about what our customers want or need from us. I’m taking notes for next year.”
Asked about the importance of shopping on island, Ms Viera said: “All of us need to support Bermuda's retail sector. When you spend your money locally, you strengthen Bermuda's economic chain.
“The end of that chain is someone who can put food on their table, pay their rent, and shop for clothing.
“We understand that people like to shop online when they go away on trips, but we suggest that you purchase something locally for every item you buy away. Small businesses like ours celebrate even the smallest sales, which can keep our doors open for business.”
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