Sanitary measures, inventory, promotions : what you need to know about the summer sale

The traders face this year with the over-cautiousness of consumers and health measures are still in force in the stores.

This is the day : after weeks of confinement, the economic context was disrupted by the pandemic of sars coronavirus and a postponement because of health risks, the summer sales are finally beginning this Wednesday, to close on the 11th of August next.

IN PICTURES >> Of the queues in front of stores as early as the first day of the déconfinement

But the season may be complex for some traders - cautious attitude of consumers, health measures are still in force in the stores, signs of the textile in the turmoil and professionals fairly depressed are waiting for you.

Your support is essential. Subscribe for $ 1 support Us

stocks "particularly high"

no more cuts on a few old pieces, sizes inadequate and passed in a few hours : after more than two months of closing of the stores, inventories are at a "particularly high level", says Yohann Petiot, the director-general of the Alliance of the trade. The discounted products by the stores and thus could be much more numerous than usual. "This is the last chance for merchants to sell their stocks after a season that has been particularly difficult," he adds.

READ ALSO >> Why the deferral balances would be a breath of fresh air for small businesses

so It is time to move on to something else, forget about this spring and summer season new, both in terms of loss of turnover, gaping holes in the cash shops, that anxieties about the future. According to a report by the Insee published on Friday, the volume of sales has declined from 45% in the retail non-food between April 2019 and April 2020, a shortfall is huge and the traders are trying, since the déconfinement, catch up, including through the private sales and other promotions.

French reluctant to spend

But the low prices are not everything, even if the balances are the only time of the year where it is allowed to sell at a loss. Attract the barge in this period of the end of the health crisis is not easy : the French have taken the habit to spend only for their basic needs and have preferred to save - up to 60 billion euros according to the government.

"In volume, in 2020, household consumption of goods has declined from 17% in march and 34% in the month of April compared to the same month of the previous year, before recovering in may where she was no longer lower than that of 8% compared to a year ago", stresses the Insee in its report.

READ ALSO >> Model is obsolete, shift to more sustainable consumption... of the industry of fast-fashion on the decline

And this déconsommation, or consumption on a "frugal and responsible" as the analysis Yves Marin, expert in the distribution sector at the firm Bartle, risk of last. Thus, according to a study by the consulting firm, BCG, made from a little more than 9000 consumers in China, the United States and France, "56% of French people are waiting for strong signs of a recovery before going to new in-store", when the Chinese are 49% said, and the Americans 59%.

According to a survey conducted by the Fifg for the online retail site Spartoo, "54% of the French" even intend to "waive the balances or to allocate a smaller budget" than usual this year. To Yves Marin, expert in the distribution sector at the firm Bartle, "the purchases so-called pulse will suffer", and in particular those of articles of fashion. The specialist explains that this situation provides, however, "a huge bonus at trade-in line", where the "fitting room is in the home and deliveries and free returns".

health measures specific

And this is not the health measures implemented at points of sale - port of the mask, hydroalcoholic gel systematic, fitting rooms are sometimes inaccessible - that will encourage shopping.

READ ALSO >> Parades are virtual, videos, behind the scenes... In the midst of a pandemic, the fashion week is reinventing itself

The Alliance of the business had asked for at the end of June the authorities to alleviate this health protocol in order to "encourage and ease the return in-store", as is the case in the companies, " explains Yohann Kid, but in vain. "For the actors of our sector, the gauge of a person of 4 m2 of surface residual and the isolation of the products during 24 hours make it more difficult to the purchase path of customers and organization in-store" advocates and Yohann Kid.

Read our complete file

Balances: what you need to know

winter sale : retailers hope to make up the shortfall due to the strikes Dates : winter sale 2020 starting Wednesday, 8 January, for only a month, The summer sales have started for six weeks

The protocol has still been strengthened : Wednesday, the president and Emmanuel Macron has announced that the mask would become mandatory in enclosed areas from 1 August.