Last minute shoppers look for bargains
No doubt some of that money this week left the credit unions and banks and was spent right here in downtown Belize City. Earlier today I made the rounds to see how the last minute shopping was going.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
To absolutely no one’s surprise, downtown Belize City was packed with shoppers checking out the final items on their gift lists. One change this year is that many stores are offering specials to lure customers and improve sales.
Jacqueline Woods
“Jackie I know around this time of the year many businesses would offer discounts, but I know Hofius started from pretty early. You’re offering as much as fifty percent off on toys, why?”
Jacqueline Roe, Assistant Manager, Hofius Limited
“Yes, that’s correct. It’s usually the last two weeks of Christmas that everything is discounted. This year has been different, sales has been different, what people are buying have been different. Every year it changes, but this year it has been a big change, so we wanted to be sure that the large stock that we had was able to move and therefore we did our customers a service by offering them a little special discount a bit earlier. And it worked, the people who were able to make early purchases came in and took advantage.”
Pete Gonzalez, Floor Manager, Mikado
“Curtains and curtains and more curtains has been the general trend of the day.”
The cash registers may have been ringing and the stores are busy, but from what we observed, people are watching their dollars and trying to save as much money they can. Like me, many Belizeans have waited until the last minute to shop.
Jacqueline Woods
“Why did you wait until Christmas eve to do your shopping?”
Shopper #1
“Only now I have time.”
Jacqueline Woods
“When did you start shopping?”
Shopper #2
“Two days ago.”
Jacqueline Woods
“So what, you’re half way through?”
Shopper #2
“Yes ma’am.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Want to wish anybody a merry Christmas?”
Shopper #2
“My mom and dad in Independence.”
Some people had a good idea of what they wanted to buy, while others needed to place a call to the North Pole for advice. As for merchants, they started stocking up months ago.
Pete Gonzalez, Floor Manager, Mikado
“Well we got prepared very early this year. From the very beginning of October, and the people have been coming in for their layaways especially. The layaways were pretty high and so far we have cleared everything. People started early along with us.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Folks, as you can see, there is material after material inside the Mikado stores, as well as a number of customers have been coming into the store to buy curtain material, a lot of camera-shy people here. I am just wondering though because it is Christmas eve, if it’s really a little bit late to be shopping for curtain materials…
(To customer trying to run away from camera)
Jacqueline Woods
“Don’t run, it’s not gonna bite. Merry Christmas to you.”
Shopper #3
“Same to you.” (runs off)
Jacqueline Woods
“See what I told you folks, only camera-shy people inside Mikado store.”
We did manage to catch up with some familiar faces, like poet Norman Rodriquez.
Jacqueline Woods
“How do you plan to spend your Christmas?”
Norman Rodriquez, Poet
“With the family. With the children and with the fiancé.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Any poems this year?”
Norman Rodriguez
“No, I don’t have any for Christmas, I plant to do some next year. I’m working on short stories right now. I’m trying to work on a novel too.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Finished with all your Christmas shopping?”
Norman Rodriguez
“No, I’m still trying to pick up the little pieces. I might get some good discount at this time, so that’s what I’m doing right now.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Is that one of the reasons why you decided to wait until the last minute?
Norman Rodriguez
“Yeah, because I know you always get the big discounts off and I’m happy because I see a couple things that I want to pick up as yet for some children. It’s basically the children at Christmas time.”
Jacqueline Roe
“What we are noticing is that it’s really last minute this year.”
Jacqueline Woods
“What have people been buying?”
Jacqueline Roe
“Curtains and lot of curtains. Everybody went for curtains, doilies, things for the tabletop, things for the home, much more than toys this year. Decorations and trees went every well, but the toys haven’t been the big movers this year for us.”
Despite all the giveaways, merchants say business has not been particularly strong.
Pete Gonzalez
“Overall, it should have been a little bit better with the banks having a little bit of problems this year. Sales weren’t as expected.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Sherman, how has Christmas been this year for Brodies?”
Sherman Sawers
“It’s been very good. We did a lot of sales, we had a lot of customers come in. Sold a lot of toys, groceries, from gift certificates are selling.”
Jacqueline Roe
“Business for the year 2003 has not been as active as it has been in other years. I don’t think we’re the only ones when I say that. We’re hoping 2004 will be better. As we can see, there’s a lot of cruise ship people up and down and everyone was hoping that would put a push into the economy. We haven’t really seen that; we haven’t see the push that we were hoping for.”
