Sales up as last-minute holiday shoppers return to stores
Dec 23, 2021, 6:10 PM | Updated: 8:57 pm
SALT LAKE CITY — Last-minute Christmas shoppers hit malls and grocery stores in a fury Thursday to get the last few gifts they need.
Local retailers said this is their moment to drive sales since online retailers are out of time to ship eleventh-hour gifts.
“We are up,” General Manager Diana Peck said. “I don’t know my percentage, but we are definitely up.”
Business managers said last year, more people shopped online, but this year, people want to get out and get a feel for what they’re buying.
“I like to do my research at home and get most of it done there, but if there are some places I need to get out to, I like to get in and get out and be done,” said shopper Darrell Phippen.
Store owners were excited to see customers in person again, but with inflation at an all-time high and prolonged shipping delays, they’ve had to make adjustments.
“Every aspect of the supply chain has been messed up this year for books. Starting with paper and going all the way to deliveries and labor trucks,” said Katherine Weller, co-owner of Weller Book Works.
Weller said there’s no doubt sales are better than last year. She said it will be interesting to see a year-over-year comparison at the end of the season to determine if revenue is back to pre-COVID-19 levels.
