There are days like that. You get out of bed and your day goes completely differently to how you planned it. I would never have imagined that I would end up in the stifling heat of a crowded city centre, talking to shopkeepers about product and sales. I find it hard to do the shopping on an empty Sunday morning, never mind go to the sales. That is why I am not rich.
First coffee of the day and the Internet news. Liberation headlines “2009 Summer Sales Disappoint Except in Paris.” My heart sinks. I know in my heart of hearts that I have to get out there and write about what is, after all, one of the biggest indicators of consumer confidence and market buoyancy of the year.
So off I trudge on my mission to visit at least twenty shops. Below is a representative sample of my admittedly unscientific survey, but at least it isn’t a telephone poll.
Here is one of the several entries to the Part-Dieu commercial centre. It’s one of the biggest in Europe. As you can see it’s very hot outside so I am looking forward to getting into its lightly air-conditioned interior. It is home to hundreds of shops, from big international household names to local shopkeepers.
Michael Cosgrove
Part-Dieu Shopping Centre, Lyon France
image:54596:5::0
Once inside though, my worst nightmare comes true and there are people everywhere. It’s crowded and this is literally the first thing I see. I muse upon the fact that the country is supposed to be in a recession but thousands of people are still able to take the day off to try and snag last-minute bargains.
.jpg)
Michael Cosgrove
Summer Sales, Lyon France
image:54582:5::0
One of the first shops I visit is the Triumph Lingerie outlet. I see the window display and notice that even the mannequins have sold what they were wearing, as can be witnessed in the photo at the top of the page. The shop is in fact closing down. As Kathy Porcel, the shop’s manager, tells me.
“The sales? Super! We’ve sold just about everything there is in the shop. We are a middle-of-the-range company with shops all over France but the rent here is too expensive so we’re moving out. Still, Summer Sales results this year are very good indeed, and we didn’t have to take prices down any lower than we intended too.”
I walk out thinking that maybe Liberation was wrong about its dire predictions for everywhere except Paris. Could it be that all is well here in Lyon?
My next stop was at a shop called ‘Courir’ which means ‘Run’ in English. The shop sells running shoes, running shoes and running shoes, with a few accessories.
It could be assumed that people who go running aren’t interested in fancy sales displays if this one is anything to go by.
Michael Cosgrove
Summer Sales, Lyon France
image:54584:5::0
The senior salesperson I interviewed here said he wasn’t authorised to give his name to the press but his analysis of the situation was very honest and revealing.
“Very very bad indeed. The shop progressed quickly over the last three years but the Summer Sales this year have seen a massive drop of 15 percent for June and 20 percent for July compared to last year.”
His reasons for these disappointing results are couched in what are already carefully analysed figures.
“The average buy amount has gone down considerably because people just don’t have the buying power they did last year because of the crisis. Those who spent €70 for a pair of running shoes last year are spending €59 today, and, at the lower end of the scale, a €64 pair sells for €55. We have as many staff as last year, but the average sale is down. Not only that, the very hot weather isn’t helping us.”
He told me that his direct competitor, ‘Foot Locker’ was experiencing the same phenomena. No-one at Foot Locker wanted to be quoted although one salesgirl confirmed that things were very bad.
Ok, so how about low-cost women’s clothing? After all, that is a sector that usually doesn’t suffer too much.
Wrong. Here is a shop display showing 50 percent discounts. The lady inside said “No press.”
Michael Cosgrove
Summer Sales, Lyon France
image:54585:5::0
‘Carroll’ is a mid-price range women’s fashion house. Their window showed massive reductions. 70 percent and 20 percent more if you bought two items. 90 percent discount?
Michael Cosgrove
Summer Sales, Lyon France
image:54587:4::0
Sandra, one of the head salesladies, said that things were “Not too bad. Things could be worse. This is all the economy’s fault and President Sarkozy hasn’t done much to help either! Would the Socialists do better? That’s quite possible.”
Still, with discounts like that I wondered what the margins were.
“Not very high, but things aren’t too bad and we’re getting by.”
One chain store doing very well in France is Pier Import, a mid-range home design shop which is known for modern and colourful products. A sort of counterpoint to the more sober IKEA.
Malik Machaou is the shop’s Deputy Manager, and his affable and friendly manner was a welcome change from the outright refusal to talk that I had received in some places. He was quite frank about his Sales results.
“Down 15 to 20 percent, but we were expecting things to be even worse to be honest. People living out of the centre of the city have more choice than before so we get less people in, but those who do shop here are still spending the amount they did before. We have used two reduction levels – less 50 percent for the first week and less 70 percent for the rest of the sales.”
The shop has some very attractive items on offer, and I liked this display. A charming lady from the Bourgogne region of France who had come to Lyon for a visit was kind enough to become a model for the occasion. When I had taken the photo she said “I have to run, I have a train to catch.” Just like a real model.
Michael Cosgrove
Summer Sales, Lyon France
image:54588:5::0
The shop’s sales staff confirmed Malik’s appreciation of the situation, but were perhaps a little more upbeat. Eloise, on the left of this photo with Sandrine on the right, said “Oh, not too bad I suppose. Things could be worse. I’ve been busy anyway, and that’s for sure!” If an agreeable and welcoming smile coupled with an oh-too-rare-in-France fun approach are anything to go by, this shop cannot fail.
Michael Cosgrove
Eloise and Sandrine, Shop Assistants
image:54594:5::0
Catherine works in one of the Part-Dieu’s more up-market lingerie shops, Orcanta. She calmly and agreeably explained that “Things have gone rather well here in fact. We have a true ‘clientele’ in that the same people come back to see us because we have a very personalised approach. If I had to give you a figure, I’d guess that we have dipped by around 3 percent compared to last year, so we are very happy all in all.”
Their shopfront is very elegant and sober.
Michael Cosgrove
Summer Sales, Lyon France
image:54590:5::0
I did see one of the big players too, in the name of C&A, the massive clothes retailer. Côme Bonnet-Eymard is the store’s Director and he had this to say on his Summer Sales.
“Rather good, particularly given the current economic context. We have actually done slightly better than last year – I’d put the figure at around a 1 to 2 percent increase. We have done a lot of work on our offer, with a particular effort being made on the value for money aspect of our products. In fact we have even seen a slight rise in the number of clients.”
Côme accepted to be photographed, and preferred that we do the shoot in front of the company logo. It was difficult to disagree, particularly as his store was the only one I visited that had actually seen an increase in Summer Sales business compared to last year.
.jpg)
Michael Cosgrove
Summer Sales, Lyon France
image:54593:4::0
It would seem that the Summer Sales here have generally been disappointing, but not catastrophic. Most of the losers expected to lose, there were some who have kept their heads above water, and most are hopeful about future prospects.
Let’s hope they are right.
Walking back towards the subway I decided that the sales weren’t as nightmarish an experience as I had feared. There were a lot of people, but the atmosphere seemed almost ‘business as usual’ and people seemed relaxed.
Who knows, I may even be tempted to come back for the November sales. The air-conditioning worked of course, but I was still hot after all that walking around, so it was with pleasure that I walked down these steps, along with the others who had finished their visit...
Michael Cosgrove
Summer Sales, Lyon France
image:54591:4::0
...And into the cool and welcoming air of the subway for the ride home, my credit card untouched.
Email this
Share on Facebook
30,000 drones in American skies, civil liberties in jeopardy
Listen
Print
Social Comments ()
Digital Journal Comments (17)
