FEWER Islanders are browsing in shops this Christmas – but those who do are keeping the tills busy, according to retailers.
Shopkeepers in St Helier are reporting decent trade and less fear of the virus than in 2020, but are not seeing the ‘buzzing’ high street of years past.
This time last year Jersey had declared a circuit-breaker closure of the hospitality sector and was starting to roll out its vaccination programme.
Mark Fisher, sales director at Fotosound, said that fewer customers were browsing the store but those who did come in were more likely to buy something.
‘What we are seeing is that we are not getting many people just walking around the shop and looking at things,’ he said.
‘And we are a shop where you normally get a lot of that.
‘But a higher number of people are coming in to buy – we have a very high hit rate at the moment.
‘We are getting a lot of people ordering online or over the phone and coming in to pick something up.
‘The fear is not there on the high street like last Christmas. It’s much more sedate this year.’
Joe Dingle, store manger at Fortuna electronics, said that footfall was down compared to previous festive seasons.
‘It’s a bit quiet especially for this time of year, when it’s usually a lot more busy. It has been since November,’ he said.
Mr Dingle added that he had also experienced fewer people browsing but more customers coming in to make purchases or pick up pre-ordered goods.
Kevin Smith, store manager at The Entertainer toy shop, said: ‘Currently trade is down but the people who are coming in are spending more.
‘There are a number of people coming in and spending children’s vouchers and that is helping.’
Steve Arthurs, store manager at Graeme Le Maistre, told the JEP that the business was ‘doing okay’ and while it had supply issues, this was not necessarily a disadvantage.
He said: ‘People seem a bit more relaxed than last year. We are still having some trouble with supplies – people like Nike and Adidas are still slow with orders.
‘But that has actually worked to our advantage in a way because if you manage to get hold of stock someone can’t try it on and then go and order it online anymore because it won’t be there. If you have stock you are doing well.’
He added that general footfall in town was down this year.
‘If you look out on Bath Street it’s not buzzing like it often has been. But every year is different,’ he said.
Town centre manager Connor Burgher said that he was aware of lower footfall with high purchase rates and continued issues with supply chains.
‘There are still people going to town and long may that continue.
‘I understand that there are still issues with supply chains and Brexit.
‘Getting stock in can be difficult and we have added bureaucracy,’ he said.
‘But on the whole I’m pleased the retail community has come together and is doing so well.
‘I hope that the Covid-19 changes that are coming in January aren’t going to change that.’
