Back-to-school worries limit spending for St Catherine shoppers

BY COREY ROBINSON Sunday Observer staff reporter robinsonc@jamaicaobserver.com

Sunday, September 11, 2011

IT was a mixed bag for some shoppers and store owners in St Catherine who were part of this year's staging of Jamaica OBSERVER CELEBRATES FASHION'S NIGHT OUT (FNO).

For some, spending was limited because they had just allocated their hard-earned cash to send their children back to school. Others complained that discounts could have been lower while some retailers worried about the low turnout of shoppers.

At 5:00 pm, the Oasis Plaza in Spanish Town — where owners of participating stores seemed to pull out all the stops setting up special discount racks, decorating their establishments and ensuring that staff were ready for the long night ahead — retailers complained about the slow crowds.

"(This year) is nothing like last year. I feel that Fashion's Night Out is in a wrong time because school just reopened. Maybe the (September) month-end, because everything is normal after that," said a man who identified himself as Sean Paul, manager of Real Deal Jewellers.

"Last year was very good; we were packed. This year, nothing at all. You can see the place is empty there," said Paul, pointing to a handful of shoppers who wandered around looking at jewellery and appliances.

Paul, who said he was not optimistic that shopping would improve at his store throughout the night, said his disappointment was compounded by the fact that he and his staff made an extra effort decorating the store and informing customers about their involvement in the sales event.

However, sales were looking up for Gwendolyn Williams-Sharpe, manager of Fashion Depot, next door to Real Deal Jewellers.

Williams-Sharpe said she started her sale extravaganza from 10:30 am and received a steady flow of purchases on household items, upholstery and clothing.

"I think the turnout is good, and I think a little later there will be much more (shoppers) because persons are just coming from work and it will take a little time for them to reach to Spanish Town," said the woman, praising the increased number of shoppers who were browsing items in her store.

"The (FNO) experience is very good. We have a lot of persons shopping and the feedback has been very good," continued Williams-Sharpe, who noted that shoppers were mostly purchasing ten-piece bedding sets, blouses and other clothing.

Two of her shoppers, friends Alecia Davis and Janice Nelson, were, however, not as optimistic about the event.

"I was expecting lower prices. It is not that good for me," said Davis, who admitted that she had only visited two stores.

"Some of the clothes, they could have offered a 50 per cent (discount) on some. The 30 per cent is too small and like the 15 per cent and so on; I don't think they are very reasonable," she continued, speculating that stores in Half-Way-Tree, St Andrew, were offering better discounts.

Nelson, who said she spent her FNO shopping in Half-Way-Tree last year, was determined to go to the capital before the night was over.

"The Half-Way-Tree FNO was a blast and I am going back there this evening. I am a little disappointed here. I think that they could have done a bit better," she said, adding that she had not purchased anything from the four stores she had been in.

Nigel Fisher, manager at Exceptional Limited, a participating clothing store in the nearby Spanish Town Shopping Centre, said there was an increase in the number of shoppers at his store.

"You can see a difference in the movement of the crowd, people are more excited over it," said Fisher, noting inside his establishment started buzzing with shoppers about 6:50 pm.

"It is still early now so I can't make a real comparison between last year and this one. I expected more from this year, but I think that as we go along the night will pick up," he said.

Next door, at Sinclair's Bargain Centre, Supervisor Karen Lynch said: "It was better last year. Things were just more affordable and more persons were spending. Sales have been alright but they are not good," she explained.

Outside her store, Odette Creary, another shopper, gave her opinion on why customers were not buying.

"Them shouldn't have done it so early in September, they should have done it like September month-end when we have a little more money," said Creary. "Because we only have money to send the children to school," she said.

In contrast, at the Town Plaza in Portmore, staff at the BLVD clothing store had their hands full attending to shoppers who capitalised on the deals they were offered on shoes. Most of their shoe stock was finished before 7:30 pm.

"This is really good man, trust me!" exclaimed one male staff member when asked his opinion of the event.

As the night drew to a close, hundreds flocked to the Portmore Mall apparently to enjoy a concert put on by telecommunications company, LIME. While there was increased traffic, store owners said not many persons were purchasing.

"There are many factors which can perhaps account for why persons are not shopping. For instance, what the people used to earn in previous years, they don't earn anymore," theorised Dorrett Smith, owner of the Debbie's Catwalk boutique. "School fees and back-to-school shopping is also an issue. We are not making any money at this FNO. This event came at a bad time," she added.

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Back-to-school worries limit spending for St Catherine shoppers