After the busy Black Friday holiday weekend, Kristen Tarnol, owner of Emerald Forest Gifts in Studio City, California, is already asking her supplier to send more more fuzzy alpaca scarves and warm slippers that were best sellers over the weekend.
鈥淓ven though it鈥檚 Los Angeles 鈥� I think people are looking for cozy items, really,鈥� she said.
With a late Thanksgiving, the holiday shopping season is five days shorter than last year, and owners of small retail shops say people have been quick to snap up holiday d茅cor early, along with gifts for others and themselves. Cozy items like sweaters are popular so far. But there鈥檚 little sense of the freewheeling spending that occurred during the pandemic.
Overall, The National Retail Federation predicts retail sales in November and December will rise between 2.5% and 3.5% compared with same period a year ago. Online shopping is expected to grow too. Adobe Digital Insights, a division of software company Adobe, predicts an 8.4% increase online for the full season.
Comfort and 'whimsy鈥�
Some owners say shopping has been erratic so far this holiday season. Nathan Waldon, who owns Nathan & Co., with two gift shops in Oakland, California, said he had his best Black Friday ever, with sales up 32%. But business slowed dramatically after that. He鈥檚 hoping it picks up again soon.
鈥淚 still feel like I鈥檓 optimistic for the season,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 definitely going to be one of those roller coaster seasons again.鈥�
He said comforting items are selling: Scarves, hats and gloves, humorous Christmas and Hanukkah cards and bright colors.
鈥淧eople want that sense of whimsy, that sense of fun,鈥� he said. 鈥滱 couple of seasons ago everything was sort of muted and earthy, and now everyone is craving happy colors.鈥�
One of his top sellers is a bright pink sweater with the word 鈥淢erry鈥� written in big letters that sells for $120. But generally, shoppers are looking to spend less than half of that, he said.
鈥淚t could be they could buy the $25 item, but then they鈥檒l add on a little something extra,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t seems to me that the sweet spot is between 40 and 50 bucks.鈥�
Bouncing back
Small businesses in some parts of the country are hoping holiday shopping helps them recover from extreme weather during the year. In Florida, Jennifer Johnson, owner of consignment shop True Fashionistas in Naples, Florida, had a slow summer season, partly because the area was hit by three hurricanes this year. She decided to increase her Black Friday weekend discount this year to draw in shoppers 鈥� offering a 25%-off deal rather than the 18% to 20% she normally offers.
It worked. The store had record sales days over the weekend. People snapped up festive Christmas outfits and Christmas d茅cor. The Christmas d茅cor, including ornaments, candles and other home decorations, is selling faster than last year, she said.
鈥淟ast year we were out of Christmas stuff like by the second week of December, and we鈥檙e almost out of it now and it鈥檚 only the first week of December,鈥� Johnson said.
As for clothing: 鈥渁nything sequins, anything that has had bedazzling on it, anything that looks fine and festive is what they were buying,鈥� she said.
At her three Philadelphia-area Serendipity shops that sell clothing, accessories and home goods, owner Nicole Beltz also faced weather-related challenges in foot traffic over the year, including snow in the first quarter, a lot of rain in the second quarter and extreme heat in the third quarter. An unpredictable economy and tough competition on pricing from bigger chains were also obstacles during the year.
During the Black Friday weekend, she offered 20% off for orders of $75 or more and 30% off orders of $150 and more. Last year she just offered discounts on select items, not blanket discounts.
鈥淲e gave out our biggest incentive ever for shoppers to come out with discounts and promos. I certainly think that that was necessary this year,鈥� she said.
Beltz鈥� customers gravitated toward prices either under $20 or around $100. At her shops, Philadelphia Eagles and Taylor Swift merchandise were the top sellers, including $14 socks and $99 sweaters.
鈥淥ne is the impulse category, where if it鈥檚 under $20, they鈥檒l buy it. No matter what,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd then the second category would be for really people that are coming in looking for a gift. We鈥檙e pushing the $100 sale. We try to keep our best sellers, like those sweaters and those items that people are really grabbing for a nice holiday gift at $99, right under the $100 mark.鈥�
'Extra touch'
Not all small businesses can use discounts to drive business, since margins are often tight.
Between Friends Boutique in Philadelphia is using events to drive holiday traffic instead. They held a 鈥淪weater Explosion鈥� event at 8 a.m. on Black Friday where they served hot apple cider and hot chocolate with marshmallows and promoted different styles of sweaters.
Sweaters under $100 were big sellers, along with $25 reversible silk scarves that feature art from impressionists like Monet.
鈥淥ur customers appreciated that little extra touch of laughs during the holidays. Coming in and smelling the cinnamon in the air felt like the holidays have arrived,鈥� co-owner Claudia Averette said. Sales are up so far from last year, she added.
They鈥檙e also hosting a 鈥淏ourbon and Bow Tie鈥� event on Dec. 20 to promote the fact that they carry men鈥檚 accessories as well, like bow ties, socks and scarves.
An event helps get exposure, Averette said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great marketing strategy,鈥� she said.
Mae Anderson, The Associated Press
