MANDEVILLE, Manchester – Business operators across the island have reported reduced Christmas sales as a result of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

However, some operators in this parish said it turned out better than many had feared, according to president of the 150-member Manchester Chamber of Commerce Kenisha Dwyer-Powell.

“Businesses were expecting that sales were not going to be the same, but it was even better than they thought it would have been, whilst they were not able to do what they used to do in the past years,” she told the Jamaica Observer on Monday.

Dwyer-Powell, however, said retailers, who in past years profited from business on grand market continuing through the night until the wee hours of Christmas morning, were negatively affected by the nightly curfews of 10:00 pm to 5:00 am.

“… That was a disadvantage as well, as sales were not as [high] as in the past,” she said.

Yet, she said some businesses actually saw an increase in sales for the Yuletide season.

“Some… like retailers who stock gifts that can be used as household items would have seen an increase in sales. It was not as bad as they forecast. [The] feedback that I am getting is that if they (had) a few more hours then perhaps they would have seen even greater sales,”Dwyer-Powell said.

With physical distancing guidelines and a need for ease in doing business, more businesses have expanded to offer online shopping, but there were challenges, Dwyer-Powell said.

“You do have more businesses going online with their shopping experience, but (it’s) not at the point yet where they can (say) that it has been great. When you shop online you still have to consider transporting the goods, some businesses are still working that out, or they are doing deliveries themselves,” she said.

“More businesses would have signed up with delivery companies like 876GET as people get used to the online platform. Even though it is the way to go you still have to sensitise your clients about shopping online; some people are getting there [but] some are averse to it. Just last week I saw a cosmetics business online and the owner was expressing to me that it is still challenging to get people to shop online,” she said.

“The general direction is an increase in online sign-up and online sales and one of the things is that we continue to sensitise our members, and let them look at what the benefits are to them with different companies advertising,” she added.

Head of operations at the Mandeville-based 876GET Carolyn Fennell told the Observer she was happy with business over the holidays.

“Over the period there has been constant growth. Yes, you would see people out and about on the road, but we found that more people were turning to online to do more of their Christmas shopping [but] people were turning to us more [and other courier services] to avoid the crowd. It was not the super merry Christmas that we are accustomed to, but I found that it went how I would have expected it to be,” she said.

Fennell disclosed that more businesses have been added to the 876GET mobile app.

“More businesses have signed up with us, so yes, people are buying into the idea of putting their businesses online for convenience and building an online marketing place that is 100 per cent Jamaican… We have pharmacies, cosmetics, clothing stores, and a variety store. Very soon, we hope to have a supermarket on there as well,” she said.

876GET recently expanded its business to Ocho Rios and has plans to do business in Montego Bay.