Restarting retail - 11/5/2020

Fish Hoek, W Cape, SA – It has been a slow trickle since last Saturday. We are extremely fortunate in that we do have a slow trickle. There are so many businesses out there who have not been able to open and we feel for them. I think that it is all going to be about expectation (or the lack of it!). The further we have gone from month-end and the initial euphoria, the slower the trickle has become.

       Naturally, the CIPC Certificate had to be downloaded. Our staff are all questioned on their health (with specific reference to the Corona Virus) on arrival and then tested with a thermometer for their temperatures. Education regarding social distances between both other staff as well as from customers was vital. We closed one of our two entrances for ease of monitoring and people are asked to sanitize as they enter. So far, we have not been busy enough to request customers to queue outside of the store. Staff lunchtimes and tea times have had to be staggered. All goods that have been tried on are steamed and kept aside for a period of time. The counters at the till point are sanitized after every sale. Our public toilets have had to be closed for the short term. All staff have to wear masks and customers who arrive without have the option to buy a disposable mask for R20, or we are not in a position to allow them to enter the store. We have had to apply a "no returns" policy with regards to all purchases. - Greg Bing, member

 

 

 

Cape Town, W Cape, SA – March saw a big decline even before lockdown as fewer people came into the centre. The year ahead is bleak as the Waterfront depends heavily on tourists.

       Our reputation as a  specialist in sports footwear helped to bring customers in and we are trading at a substantially higher level than anticipated, albeit on a much lower level than last May.

       At least we can pay the reduced rental landlords have offered and more importantly our staff.

       I would be extremely happy if we can achieve 50% of last year’s turnovers but that means probably just breaking even – there won’t be any tourists in Cape Town till next year!

       After all these years in retail, I have some reserves, but I fear for some of the smaller guys, some of whom used to work for The Athletes Foot. - Barry Selby, member

 

 

 

Durban, KZN, SA – Trade was brisk until Thursday the 7 th of May 2020 . Friday and Saturday has been quiet.

       We first opened 2 stores and thereafter opening the other stores gradually.

       We only allowing few customers into our stores to maintain social distancing. We are maintaining strict controls under rules of stage 4 lockdown. Customers are demanding sandals and shorts however this is prohibited.

       Retailers are concerned about trade going forward . It’s about survival at the moment. - Sunil Bhagwandas, member

 

 

 

Cape Town, W Cape, SA – Before I comment on how retail has been for the last week, since returning to work from over a month’s quarantine/lockdown, I just want to say how sorry I am for all the other retail sectors that are still not allowed to trade during level-4 lockdown – restaurants / fast-foods / hairdressers & beauty salons / liquor stores / cigarette vendors / luggage and bags and many more that are not considered “essential items” under level-4 quarantine. And I hope and pray that they will all be allowed to start trading again very, very soon.

       When we returned to work and opened our shop again on Friday the 1st of May we were very nervous and not sure of what to expect – we did not know whether we needed a permit to return to work – we did not know where to buy hand sanitizers / masks and face shields for ourselves and for our staff or even how many people were allowed inside our store at one time. Nevertheless we opened not knowing what to expect and soon found out where to buy all the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). If another retail store had a sensible policy or sign on their store we copied them. Every day has been and still is a new learning curve of how to trade during a virus pandemic – from making sure every customer entering the store wears a protective mask and sprays their hands with sanitizer – to learning new rules and regulations from everyone around us - like  having my father phone me one night to tell me that he heard on the radio that change rooms are not allowed to be used and no trying on or returns of clothing are allowed - to having my staff tell me that Pep stores are not even allowing the fitting on of shoes.

         Nevertheless customers returned and there was a very joyous overall mood – people were happy just to be allowed out again.

         We were not sure if we would do any business at all and were worried that customers would not have any money left to buy “non-essential” items like shoes and clothing - we were happily surprised and have, so far, traded as normal with similar turnovers to last year's first week of May. - Steven Neimann, member