With sparse crowds and none of the stampedes of holidays past, some retail watchers started to refer to Black Friday as Blasé Friday instead -- and that was even before the virus hit.
The sluggish in-person traffic reported in 2019 is only expected to thin out further this year, as mall-wary shoppers trade in midnight doorbusters for digital deals. But don’t let the shift to online shopping fool you: It’s still shaping up to be a record year for holiday retail sales (and the logistics companies that’ll deliver them.)
Malls are approaching the holiday season much differently this year. But the retailers, small businesses and restaurants at shopping centers owned by CBL & Associates Properties Inc. are making it work, according to CEO Stephen Lebovitz.
At one of his malls in Kentucky, where indoor dining is restricted, a health-inspector approved tent was set up in the parking lot. Santa sits behind plexiglass and of course there’s no sitting on his lap.
“Even though the crowds aren’t what they’re going to be in a 2019 Black Friday, they’re still strong crowds and we’ve seen strong traffic across the board,” he said in an interview. Shoppers who do venture to the mall have a higher conversion rate; they’re often leaving stores with bags in their hands.
And he is betting the Santa of past Black Fridays will return, including with photo ops for pets.
“This year we haven’t been able to bring our pets to get their picture taken with Santa. That was very popular,” Lebovitz said. “I guarantee you that that will be something that will come back.”
CBL owns 68 malls and open-air retail centers.
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Black Friday turnout: Malls adapt with santas behind plexiglass - Crain's New York Business
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