Bricks and mortar back in style on Black Friday in Vancouver

    1 of 1 2 of 1

      West 4th Avenue boutique owner Jenny Yen decided to launch her Black Friday sale a few days before some big-box retailers. At Two of Hearts, she’s decided to offer a third item free to anyone who buys a combination of clothing, scarves, or gloves. And she’ll keep offering this deal until Monday (December 2).

      “That includes our in-house made-in-Vancouver label along with some international brands that we carry as well,” Yen told the Straight by phone.

      Although she’s hoping to sell more products, she’s especially interested in encouraging consumers to support independent businesses during one of the biggest retail blowouts of the year.

      “If we want to have any unique shops left or anything that supports local [suppliers], the public has to vote with their dollar,” Yen said. “They have to keep that in mind.”

      It’s a sentiment shared by Jane McFadden, executive director of the Kitsilano 4th Avenue Business Improvement Association. She told the Straight that there are tons of deals in the trendy shopping district extending from Fir to Balsam streets. While there may not be any Black Friday discounts at the Tesla dealership on the east end of the strip, there are serious bargains ranging from 20 to 60 percent off at nearby ski and snowboard shops like Comor and Pacific Boarder.

      “A lot of my retailers will do it for the whole weekend, not just the Friday, including the ski shops,” McFadden said. “They’ll go to Sunday and then back to regular prices again on Monday.”

      The West 4th Avenue retail strip resembles an outdoor shopping mall in the range of goods it offers. But unlike any mall in this region, West 4th Avenue also has 30 restaurants, ranging from affordable spots like Tacofino, Sophie’s Cosmic Cafe, and Noodlebox to higher-end establishments like Bishop’s and Au Comptoir. According to McFadden, outdoor stores account for about 20 percent of the retail outlets. About a quarter of the stores offer clothing and about 20 percent offer services, including gyms and health and body shops. Plus, there’s lots of footwear, anchored by gravitypope.

      “So there’s a lot that can be applicable to Black Friday,” McFadden commented. “This year, I’ve got more participants than ever.”

      Independent retailers are also gearing up for Black Friday in other neighbourhoods. John Fluevog Shoes, for instance, will likely be packed with shoppers at its flagship Gastown location. And furniture retailers like Moe’s Home Collection, INspiration, and Möbler are also offering bargains.

      David Ian Gray, founder and strategist at DIG360 Consulting Ltd., told the Straight by phone that the marketing push for Black Friday came later this year because American Thanksgiving, which precedes the blowout sales, won’t take place until Thursday (November 28). Gray pointed out that many retailers actually don’t like offering big price reductions earlier in the month because that erodes the margins on products that they might sell anyway.

      “It’s kind of funny,” Gray noted. “It’s like a monster that’s been created. They’re trying to contain it.”

      In recent years, DIG360 has teamed up with the polling and market-research company Leger to survey consumers about their shopping behaviour in the wake of Black Friday. Last year, their “Black Friday & Holiday Shopping Report” found that 34 percent of the 1,540 people surveyed bought items from Black Friday sales promotions. That was up from 31 percent in 2017.

      Another 20 percent of respondents said last year that they browsed Black Friday sales promotions but didn’t find anything they wanted to buy. This means that more than half of the respondents—54 percent—either browsed or bought items.

      Gray said that last year, online shoppers “really got spooked” by the Canada Post strike. And he pointed out that the North American retail sector is still not set up for massive online deliveries.

      “Every year at this time, the system really strains and cracks a little bit,” Gray noted.

      When online sales spike, he said, shipments are more prone to errors. He also hears anecdotal reports about incomplete shipments with the wrong items. And then there are delays, with deliveries not coming on schedule.

      “Last year, I think what happened is there was this real advantage that started to appear for bricks-and-mortar retailers,” Gray said.

      He expects this trend to continue, with retailers encouraging online buying but suggesting picking up the products in stores through the holidays. That way, consumers can feel more confident that they’ll receive what they bought.

      Back at Two of Hearts, Jenny Yen feels she has a competitive advantage by being on the street. That’s because her customers can enter the store, try on the clothes, feel the fabrics, and see what they look like in the mirror.

      “That’s my goal with having the sale: just to draw people in to actually be in our physical location,” Yen said.

      Comments