The summer sales start this Wednesday, June 26. Did you miss the information? Nothing suprising. For several weeks now, stores have been rolling out promotions with private sales and other exceptional sales and privileges.
“These big chains are doing us harm,” laments Sylvaine Chiltz who runs two women’s ready-to-wear boutiques in the city center of Quimper: Les rondeurs de Koko and Koko. “We independents still try to stick to a schedule, but the others make reductions all year round. Since the regulations changed a few years ago, there is no longer a rush to shops for sales.”
In her stores, Sylvaine Chiltz will offer some good deals, “when there are only one or two sizes of a piece left, for example”. But these will be quite limited. She explains: “I am careful not to order pieces that are too summery; The same goes for winter. Because in Quimper, we tend to wear mid-season clothing all year round.
Fanny Le Maguer, from the shoe store Les Gards, adopts a similar strategy; it does not carry out any clearance operations (no Black Friday for example) during the year. “I started private sales on Friday and Saturday, two days before the sales. » The retailer therefore relies on the exceptional nature of discounts to “create flow and make sales”. Because the rainy weather in recent weeks has been detrimental: the fewer customers have also consumed less. Seasonal products like ready-to-wear and shoes need clear markers to function well: “a very hot summer and a very cold winter,” summarizes Fanny Le Mauger.
Less subject to climatic hazards, the lingerie sector still suffers. Stéphanie Barré, at Passion Câline, is banking on sales, “to generate cash flow, because the situation is complicated”. Little by little, she saw the sales clientele evolve. “Of course, there is the saleswoman, who we only see once a year, but also regular, loyal customers”, now also looking for good deals.
Will the attendance really be there on this opening day of the sales? “What works in our favor is the good weather,” believes Sylvaine Chiltz. Sandals, shirts, strappy dresses, shorts… It’s a good time to renew your wardrobe at a lower cost. Except, with such good weather, the beach could overshadow the sales.
But nothing is lost. The sales should last until July 23. Already with a little feel of back to school… At the La Sacoche leather goods store, the sales are mixed with new locations “aimed at primary school children, then, at the beginning of July, middle school students. This is at the request of customers who are already preparing for the start of the school year.” One foot on vacation, one head at school…
