Tic-tac… Bargain lovers only have a few hours left to take advantage of the latest discounts offered by the traditional summer sales, which will end this Tuesday evening in France. Behind the counter, traders have already started to do their accounts. And they are not thriving. According to the first data released by the Trade Alliance, the turnover of clothing and footwear traders was down 1% overall compared to the 2022 sales. A previous edition which had already been deemed “disappointing by players in the sector, with a turnover down 10% compared to 2019.
Same observation on the side of Ile-de-France companies: in a press release, the CCI Île-de-France underlines “mixed” results for the sales period. “Only half of [Parisian] merchants say they are satisfied with the result of these summer sales,” reveals a study by the institution, which is based on surveys of professionals. Similarly, only one out of two Parisian merchants recorded results greater than or equal to the 2022 sales.
Even more than last year, soaring prices weighed on French purchasing decisions. 64% of traders surveyed by the Chamber of Commerce believe that inflation has had a negative effect on their business during the sales. The 2022 edition will also be marked by the riots linked to the death of Nahel, which largely spoiled the first weekend of promotions, traditionally the most popular. “The urban violence […] has not created a favorable climate for consumption”, note the professionals. A finding shared by the Alliance du Commerce, which underlines that the tensions “brought a sudden halt to sales activity” in most stores, particularly in Île-de-France.
Asked by Ouest-France, the Minister Delegate in charge of Small and Medium Enterprises nevertheless wanted to qualify this assessment. “If we focus on the month of July, turnover increased by 14.5% compared to July 2022. In the context already mentioned, this is an exceptional performance for our merchants” , argued Olivia Grégoire. “The month of July had very good performances, with a catch-up effect compared to last year”, notes for his part the director general of the Alliance du Commerce, Yohann Petiot.
The observation is therefore mixed, but the massive return of international tourists has saved the sequence, particularly in Île-de-France. “80% of merchants say that tourists have visited their store during the sales and for 60% of them, tourists represent at least 20% of their turnover”, underlines the CCI Île-de-France.
Long acclaimed by consumers, the traditional biannual event is increasingly challenged by private sales, which are spread out throughout the year. 71% of merchants have carried out private sales or promotions before the sales according to the CCI Île-de-France, a figure that is growing rapidly. The actors are however not ready to bury the sacrosanct balances. “Inflation and the strong constraint of purchasing power have given new interest to sales this year for consumers”, pleads Yohann Petiot. They also remain an essential landmark for a rapidly changing ready-to-wear sector, shaken by the receivership placements of several brands including Kookaï, André and San Marina.
