The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

Retailers yesterday warned they are mulling indefinite closures due to "ridiculous" COVID-19 curb-side sales restrictions that have resulted in most losing money or breaking-even at best.

Egan Kemp, president of Eunison Company, the Shoe Depot's parent, told Tribune Business he may follow Kelly's House & Home's lead and shutter until present measures are lifted as a way to stem the financial bleeding and conserve dwindling cash resources.

Referring to the present weekend lockdowns, he said: "Losing the Saturday is about 40 percent to 50 percent of our sales, and especially during the COVID-19 times because people really can only shop on Saturday as they have to work all week.”

“We looked at the numbers last week. If you look at our operating expenses, we are losing money. Kelly’s made the right decision. If I had my own building I would shut down, too.”

However, he has to “keep some cash in the till, but if this goes on indefinitely I may close down to conserve cash. Every retailer I have spoken to is in the same boat; they are either losing money or barely breaking even.

“I feel the Government is purposely targeting us, because they are obviously choosing winners and losers. They have not given us a medical reason why some can have persons inside and not us. There is none. I feel like a prisoner, and the Government only lets us out Monday to Friday to collect the taxes off of our backs, and puts us back into our houses on the weekend.”

Mr Kemp added: “I still question all of the medical reasons for the Government’s response to a disease that, statistically speaking, only negatively affects 1 percent of the population. I don’t see the sense in doing that to our country.

"The cure is much worse than the virus. The only people who are fine with lockdowns are the politicians and the Government workers. They are able to draw full salaries, so this shutdown doesn’t affect them.”

COVID-19's lockdowns and restrictions have reinforced the value for Bahamian retailers in developing online/e-commerce operations, together with digital payments and ordering systems, which allow customers to still transact business with them electronically for curb-side, pick-up and delivery.

Clothing (apparel) retailers have been among the hardest hit because curb-side restrictions, which prevent customers from going in-store, are a major obstacle to trying garments on before they are purchased. And, especially for those without an online presence, there is a growing concern that the Government's measures are merely driving Bahamians to order products from abroad.

Margo Farrington, Lorene’s chief marketing officer, said: “We cannot keep this curb-side up. It is ridiculous. For one, customers like to come in and try on things. They like to touch and feel and look at things, especially for women who need bras. They may not know their size, so they have to be fitted. It’s not working for clothing at all. Our customers want to come inside, they want to look.”

Ms Farrington added that Lorene’s was losing out to the likes of Amazon because "now everyone is sitting at home. They can’t come out to shop and look, so they order from Amazon and it’s quicker and easier for them.

“I do not understand why we cannot be allowed to let people inside, even if it’s only five people in the store at a time, and when one leaves then another one comes in," she added. "At least allow us to have a few in at a time.

"Our store is way big enough to social distance. We can probably have 30 in at one time and customers would still be six feet apart. They can just allow us to have a few in at a time and that would help us tremendously. Today I have probably turned away 10 or 12 people just because they can’t come in the store, not that we’re getting a lot of business anyway because they just don’t want to deal with it.”

Ms Farrington said she did not know what to expect for the upcoming Christmas shopping period, but “can’t imagine it will be a great season. I don’t have high expectations at this point".