Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Adam Donnelly

SMALL BUSINESS

Kamloops businesses hope shoppers think local when buying for Christmas

Nov 30, 2020 | 5:01 PM

KAMLOOPS — The struggles of local businesses have been well documented during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With more and more emphasis put on Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales in recent years, CFJC Today spoke with a pair of local retailers about the impacts consumers can have when they make decisions on where to spend their money.

When Russ Hunter took over Players Bench sports over two decades ago, he probably didn’t include surviving a pandemic in his business plan.

However, the local sporting goods retailer has been doing just that — along with many other independent businesses throughout Kamloops.

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“It’s obviously something that impacts all small, local businesses, not just sporting goods,” Hunter says.

Black Friday falls on the day after US Thanksgiving. It’s hailed as the unofficial start to the Christmas shopping season. The Monday that follows has become known as Cyber Monday, as more and more shoppers have started making purchases online. Considering the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on small, local businesses, many of those shops hope consumers stick closer to home this year.

“Every year there’s a small decrease. Those online shoppers choosing Amazon or any other of the online providers,” Hunter says. “It’s a small percentage, but over time it does add up and becomes a bigger number for us.”

Across the bridge at Interior Crafts and Hobbies, the shelves are packed ahead of a busy Christmas season.

“It’s easy for them to go home and click ‘Send’ on their computer and have it shipped themselves,” Dean Hicks, Interior Crafts and Hobbies owner says. “As long as we have it here, they don’t have to wait. They have it and they buy it.”

For retailers like Hicks, having a good Christmas season can sustain them for months after the tinsel and trees come down.

“Most shops rely on that Christmas sales to get them through the year, to be able to survive,” Hicks says. “We need that local support.”

Hunter agrees that if local consumers want to see that variety in local retailers, this Christmas is the time for shoppers to step up and let their dollars do the talking.

“I think this is the year, more than any other year, to support local,” Hunter says. “Not just us, but our competitors, and anybody else you feel strongly about offering good service and good product to the city of Kamloops.”