PUBLISHER’S NOTE W
ell, what can I say other than that the number of redundancies across the retail sector have been alarming,
although, to be honest, most have been entirely predictable, and now, of course, the trend is beginning to be mirrored in supplier organisations. It is not an easy time for anyone to be seeking a new role. Every day I am in receipt of dozens of CVs and whilst I do my best to offer what help I can, it isn’t always possible. Important though that we all support each other even if just with a few kind words.
There are though glimmers of real hope & opportunity out in the market, as for every business that has borne the overheads of poorly performing high street stores and their forced closure, those free of these encumbrances have fared rather better. In fact, some have enjoyed the equivalent of three strong festive seasons’ worth of demand over the past six months as they proved to be able to respond to customers’ needs where others could not. I am hearing that the customers these businesses recently recruited have already returned to buy again, and again, and many seem determined NOT to return to high streets or shopping centres if they can help it.
All of this augurs very well indeed as focus turns to the festive season which is likely to be somewhat different in many ways. For those serving the mature market I believe there will a greater propensity to buy for the home, comfort-buying as one reader put it. It is likely too she said that more people will buy fewer gifts but they will be of better quality and will
be more thoughtfully chosen from catalogues and from online searches. Whilst the latest Government ruling on social group sizes coming together, Christmas gatherings will, by their nature, be smaller but there will possibly be more of them, effectively a staggered approach to the festive week enabling families to come together in those smaller groups. Another reader whose business offers a hampers range is, he says, already prepared for a sharp uptick in demand for hampers targeted at singles and couples. His business was busy throughout lockdown as consumers bought for elderly relatives as well as for friends they could not see in person. It is going be about slippers, luxe dressing downs, loungewear, cosy knits, good wines and treats according to a friend of mine who is senior category buyer at an upmarket department store. She also said that customers have already started to buy Christmas gifts in a big way, with quite a percentage ordering online, gift wrapped, for direct delivery to recipients.
We’ll have our next issue out in November by which time we will have more reports from readers about the way in which the festive season is shaping up – whether they are throwing their efforts into Black Friday or sidestepping it – and what they are forecasting for 2021.
Until then do dip into the news on our website
www.homeofdirectcommerce.com and look out for our newsletters….
JRH
4
Direct Commerce |
homeofdirectcommerce.com
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