Businesses rise to the challenge and keep tills ringing

QUALITY offerings and a wide range of services is key to helping two of the city’s retailers weather the tough start to 2020.

Jules Collins Jewellery owner Jules Collins said, while the Christmas trading period was busy, she noticed the number of customers dwindling during the last weeks of January.

“In the first few weeks after Christmas, there were a lot of people around too. There were some tourists around from Victoria and Sydney but, here and now, it’s quietened off a bit which is worrying,” she said.

“I think the problem these days is everything is more competitive and people buy a lot more things online.

“I find we have smaller margins compared to 10 years ago, and you have to keep enough aside when things are quieter, so you can survive. But that’s always going to be the case in retail.

“I have got quite a good online presence myself which 100 per cent you have to do these days. A lot of people walk past and don’t have time to stop so they go online and look there and if they like your products and the price range is right they’ll come in store to purchase.”

Ms Collins, who also offers repair and resizing services, said diversifying products and services was a necessary move.

She also said there was uncertainty over how long the coronavirus risk would last and whether news reports and government reactions were reflecting the real threat.

In Grafton St, Viva Boutique owner Karen Borsato said the events of January were “definitely having an effect, but luckily we have a strong following of customers that is helping and pulling us through”.

“There is no knowing what lies ahead, but when blessed with the amazing designers Viva has to offer both from Australia and overseas the task of buying becomes a lot easier,” she said.

“There is a swing towards fashion that embraces the individual.”