Business
Valentine's Day Sales in City Vendors and Merchants Show Mixed Results
Sales on Valentine's Day were not as abundant as previous years, but vendors expressed gratitude for the customers they did receive. Many people were seen buying love-themed merchandise such as roses, chocolates, and plush toys. However, some vendors noted that overall spending was lower due to the high cost of living. Despite this, Blessings Boutique reported relatively good sales, with a focus on clothing purchases rather than love-related items.
4 min read
Originally published by barbadostoday.bb (opens in new tab)
Sales may not have been as plentiful as in previous years, City vendors and merchants said Wednesday, but they expressed gratitude for the customers they did receive as Valentine’s Day fell on Ash Wednesday, the start of the Christian season of Lent.
Despite the traditional period of solemn reflection, The City was festooned in red and white as workers, visitors, and vendors sought treats for loved ones. Around every corner, someone was with a rose, balloon, or plush teddy bear in hand.
Numerous vendors lined Swan Street, offering plush toys, roses, gift sets, and perfumes for sale. At the top of Swan Street, LaDon’s Boutique was a hive of activity, serving as a one-stop shop for love-themed merchandise.
Owner Jocelyn Carrington told Barbados TODAY that sales started slowly and progressed as the day went on, with teens and young adults stopping by to buy some of the gift sets and perfumes on sale.
“I’ve seen better sales, but my day has not been too bad,” she said. “A lot of youngsters are passing by and buying bears, chocolates, roses, and body mists. Sales could be better, but they have been the same as last year.”
A few metres away at Fashion Angel Boutique, Mario Leacock had a similar experience. He surmised that the high cost of living was responsible for people spending less overall.
“Things have been slow compared to last year,” said Leacock. “One time you would see persons spending a lot on these kinds of things like the bears and roses, but because of the economy and whatnot, a lot of them are not spending like before.”
The staff at Blessings Boutique had a brighter day. Deidre Thorne reported “relatively good sales” but rather than love-related merchandise, many customers bought clothing.
Throughout the day, she said, the attention turned to children: “This year, I find that more people are buying for kids. A few people are buying for partners, but compared to last year, we’ve found that a number of people are buying outfits to go out to dinner.”
Thorne, who created a series of Valentine’s arrangements on sale, said that this year, they decided to offer them as an option because people are getting more ingenious in their gift giving.
“Some people are getting creative and making up their own gifts as well, so even though they may purchase the typical roses and bears, they are also buying wines and pillows to go with it, so we wanted to make sure we had that on offer as well,” she told Barbados TODAY.
