A few days before the start of the school year, consumers, who are more cautious and on the lookout for bargains, are still inclined to spend at least as much as last year when it comes time to buy clothes, shoes and other handbags. back for their children, note several Quebec retailers.
“People have a budget. They shop. They don’t want to lose,” notes Jessika Roussy, co-owner of Mode Choc, which has 10 clothing stores across Quebec.
According to a survey released in early August by the Retail Council of Canada (RCDC), just over half of Canadians (52.8%) intended to allocate the same amount to their budget. intended for back-to-school than last year. However, “the percentage of consumers willing to spend more (31.8%) decreased by 4.4% compared to 2022 (36.2%). Similarly, the proportion of people planning to spend less increased by 1.7% in 2023,” Caddle’s July survey reveals.
Thus, in the shops of Mrs. Roussy, business is going well, she assures. Sales are higher than in 2022, but the number of articles per transaction has not increased, underlines the one who expects a busy weekend.
The drop is 5% for the Montreal store (Tony Pappas) and 4% for the Laval store (Laura-Jo). “These are small declines that can be recovered,” said Ms. Gauthier. But what is alarming is that we are already [in the last days before the start of the school year] and that the bulk of sales stops on August 30. »
In addition, when they set foot in a business, customers are looking for displays where discounted items are displayed, retailers also note.
“The majority of people who come into the store will go directly to the sales display to see if they can find what they are looking for,” says Ms. Gauthier, who adds that, previously, they only allowed a few minutes. If they can’t find it in the sales, they will buy at regular price. »
“In the past year, we received a lot of inventory. We have surplus merchandise. It allowed us to make a little more discounts, ”adds Jean-Philippe Clément, administrator of the Clément stores.
Mr. Clément also says that consumers who come to do their back-to-school shopping are making “good choices.” For example, they will put more of their hands into their pockets for a better quality school bag and thus avoid having to replace it the following year.
He also adds that regular priced items are also finding takers. “We’re in a good area,” he said. We have clothes for children, but we are also in childcare. People continue to have children, so there is always going to be a need.
“I might not tell you the same if I had a men’s clothing store or an outdoor clothing store. »
The RCC survey also suggests that consumers – surveyed in July – intended to shop for clothes and school supplies a little more at the last minute than during the previous school year. “In 2023, 29.5% of respondents – the largest group – plan to shop 2-4 weeks before school starts, up from 42.9% in 2022, reports the survey. done in July. This may be due to some fears related to stockouts or supply problems, which were so important last year, but which are no longer a real danger this year. »
In Quebec, on the ground, opinions are mixed. “Last-minute shopping is a trend that has been real for the past few years,” says Jessika Roussy. Now September is often hot. The sales period lasts longer and summer items are left on the floor longer. Parents are not necessarily in a rush to buy clothes right away. »
According to Manon Gauthier, fans of last-minute purchases have always existed. “You have the hyper-planners who bought the shoes before going on vacation in July. And at the other extreme, those who come on the morning of the start of the school year with the children in uniform, ”she illustrates.
“They might be doing it a bit more at the last minute,” Mr. Clement mused, “but school hasn’t started yet, so I don’t see it as last-minute shopping. »