What state of mind are traders in as the end-of-year holidays approach?

The end-of-year holidays are, like every year, a highlight of the season in commerce. A period inevitably awaited by many professionals, who apparently show more optimism than in previous years. Testimonials.

Will the marked slowdown in inflation observed in recent months, particularly in energy prices, make it possible to finally revive sluggish consumption? In any case, this is what many traders, all sectors combined, are hoping for, for whom this time of year appears particularly crucial. Especially since the good figures recorded since the start of the school year give some optimism. “ We feel it in store, customers are a little less tense, they want to treat themselves a little more after several months of restrictions. Let’s hope that this good dynamic lasts for a few more weeks “, shares Simon, manager of a men’s ready-to-wear store in the city center of Aix-en-Provence.

Traders “more optimistic” than usual

Simon is not the only trader hoping for good business for the end-of-year holidays. The results of the survey conducted last week among 2,354 professionals spread across the country show that almost a quarter of them are optimistic about the level of activity in the weeks to come (see below) . Like Roma, manager of a bakery in Gap. “ We already have pre-orders for Christmas and New Year’s Day, as long as this good trajectory continues for as long as possible », he testifies. A real necessity, even though this end-of-year period represents no less than 20% of annual turnover for professionals in the food industry!

Caution remains in order

Although almost a quarter of traders declare themselves optimistic for the end-of-year holidays, a figure which is significantly increasing compared to 2023 (+17 points), a large proportion of professionals still prefer to exercise caution. . “ Certainly the level of activity is better at this period than in 2023, but we are still far from the turnover figures of the pre-Covid period », Rightly recalls David, manager of a bar/restaurant in Marseille. As in many sectors of commerce, David is also banking on the end-of-year holiday period to boost activity, similar to what the sector has experienced in recent years. A recent study presented by The Fork shows that reservations in French restaurants increased by an average of 4.3% during the 2023 holiday period, compared to 2022. A dynamic which could continue in 2024, but for the moment nothing has been achieved yet. In context, nearly 38% of traders declare themselves “just confident” about the level of activity in the coming weeks, a figure also increasing compared to last year (+6 points).

“Even though consumers are buying more and more online, physical stores are still popular! »

Finally, nearly 36% of traders still remain “pessimistic”, a percentage that is nevertheless down sharply compared to 2023 (-23 points). “ The resurgence in consumption is a sham, 2023 was a very bad year, like 2022 for that matter. I don’t believe in a real restart of activity, consumers have become addicted to low prices, to Shein, Temu and Amazon, it’s too difficult to fight », explains Sarah, manager of a women’s ready-to-wear store in Angers. While the growing importance of e-commerce in retail cannot be denied, it must also be emphasized that the physical store still retains real appeal for the consumer. Proof of this is that last Saturday, counting for the Black Friday weekend, some 12 million French people went to shopping centers, according to figures communicated by the Federation of Retail Actors in the Territories (FACT). “ We are not far from the peaks of the best Christmas Saturdays », rejoiced its representative, Christophe Noël.

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A good dynamic which also shows that when it comes to Christmas shopping, physical stores are still popular. And that independent retailers have their card to play. “ It doesn’t matter that the activity is less good than before Covid, I think that now we must focus on the future. As an independent we have the opportunity to stand out from the big brands and internet giants. Many consumers will always favor authenticity, and what better than the end-of-year holidays to prove to them that this authenticity can be found among independents », concludes Isabelle, manager of a fashion/jewelry concept store in Lille. A positive message to relay!