Pre-Christmas shoppers are keen despite omicron but whether retailers match last year’s earnings waits to be seen.
Harvey Norman executive chairman Gerry Harvey says Australians are shopping with a frenzy this Christmas period despite omicron, but retail spending may struggle to match 2020’s numbers., 11.3 per cent higher than the pre-pandemic levels. This year, the Australian Retailers Association is predicting $58.8 billion.
Harvey Norman executive chairman Gerry Harvey says Christmas shoppers are out and about despite omicron.“[People are shopping] like crazy. It’s very, very busy across all stores, they are buying across the board from TVs to whitegoods to small appliances.”– were not a problem at Harvey Norman, supply chain issues were.
Sydney jeweller Fairfax and Roberts’ sales director, Joshua Rogers, said shoppers were spending up to 20 per cent more this year, as people spent more on treating themselves after a tough year and with travel largely closed.“We’ve probably seen a decline in foot traffic in the city this week as people have taken up the opportunity to go travel.”
He said while online had been big over the past 18 months as lockdowns kept shoppers away from bricks-and-mortar stores, online sales typically dropped when physical stores were open.Mr Harvey thinks that even the recent rise in cases and the more contagious omicron strain, people may still be willing to go out.
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