Retailers say they're feeling the squeeze as B.C. shoppers spend less this holiday season
Things aren’t so jolly for many retail stores this holiday season.
Inflation has reduced some of the season's spending spirit, and many places are promoting Boxing Day-type sales earlier than ever.
“Definitely slower, less things being bought, people trying to save money, coming in for the deals,” said Jonathon Boyd, who works at Plenty, a clothing store in Saanich.
A recent survey from Research Co. showed British Columbians are planning to spend more than shoppers from most provinces. Still, shoppers in B.C. are not immune to the soaring cost of living.
And inevitably, that means stores here are being impacted by those tightened belts.
“There’s no question where somebody might have spent $100 on gifts last year at retail, that maybe they're only spending $85 this year,” said Jeff Bray, the head of the Downtown Victoria Business Association,
“Fewer people are buying, and the people who are buying are buying fewer items—and maybe looking for bargains,” said Andrew Pavlov, a finance professor at Simon Fraser University.
Meanwhile, Dale Olsen, the owner of Outlooks for Men clothing store, said Monday that although sales are down a bit from last Christmas—which was already a slow season—it’s part of a trend.
“Oh, there's a lot of restraint out there, most definitely, and it’s been developing for a while,” he said. “I mean a lot of people just don’t go spending big at Christmas.”
This holiday season though, there's extra stress on some retailers. It's not just the pressure of inflation, many small businesses are now also facing the spectre of government COVID loans due Jan. 18. If they’re not repaid on time, those loans get a lot more expensive.
Interest will start applying to the loans, and the $20,000 portion that was forgivable will also have to be repaid—also with interest.
“It’s a crunch time for many local businesses for sure,” said Megan Johns, the owner of Saanich store The Green Kiss.
And the crunch time is getting more tense with exactly one week until Christmas.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Liberal MP says she's leaving politics over disrespectful dialogue, threats, misogyny
Liberal MP Pam Damoff says she won't run again in the next federal election, saying she has experienced misogyny, disrespectful dialogue in politics and threats to her life.
Concerns about Plexiglass prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall Plexiglass barriers.
Federal employees will be required to spend 3 days a week in the office
Starting in September, public servants in the core public administration will be required to work in the office a minimum of three days a week. The Treasury Board Secretariat says executives will need to be in the office four days per week.
OPP officer said 'someone's going to get hurt' before wrong-way Hwy. 401 crash
As multiple Durham police cruisers were chasing a robbery suspect on the wrong side of Highway 401 Monday night, an Ontario Provincial Police officer shared his concerns, telling a dispatcher, "Someone's going to get hurt."
Ont. woman who faked pregnancy to defraud doulas arrested again on similar charges
Victims of a Brantford, Ont., woman who was sentenced to house arrest earlier this year for defrauding and deceiving doulas say they’re not surprised she’s been apprehended again on similar charges.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Göring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
Poilievre returns to House unrepentant for calling Trudeau 'wacko,' Speaker not resigning
An unrepentant Pierre Poilievre returned to the House of Commons on Wednesday to pepper the prime minister about his drug decriminalization policies after being booted the day prior for refusing to take back calling Justin Trudeau 'wacko' over his approach to the issue.
Construction begins on LGBTQ2S+ national monument in Ottawa
Shovels have hit the ground for constuction on Canada's LGBTQ2S+ national monument in Ottawa.
B.C. man awarded $5,000 in damages in first-of-it-kind intimate image case
In a first-of-its-kind case, a B.C. tribunal has ruled on a dispute involving the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, awarding damages and issuing orders that the photos be destroyed and taken offline.