More shoppers flock to the town centre

Saturday 31st December 2011, 2:56PM GMT.

Footfall in King Street is 18 per cent up on a year ago

JERSEY’S troubled retail trade has received a welcome boost after figures showed an increase in Christmas shoppers compared to last year.

The statistics, revealed by a footfall counter outside Voisins, showed an 18 per cent rise in shopping traffic compared to 2010.

However, it is not known exactly how many extra people were in town as Islanders may have walked past the counter more than once.

Despite many shops across the UK facing closure in the New Year, St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft said that he is optimistic about the future of retailers in town.

Read the full story in the Jersey Evening Post. Click here for subscription details. Individual editions are also available online.

1
me

December 31, 2011 at 3:28 pm

Just because people are walking up and down the street, doesn’t mean to say they are shopping. I wander up and down there all the time but don’t buy anything, I am generally price comparing to order online

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2
ivan

January 1, 2012 at 3:37 pm

I always enjoy a bit of shopping in Saint helier, but why are there so few price tags in the windows ? here in France it is compulsory to have them, and it certainly helps people to make up their minds….and buy

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3
Fed Up

January 2, 2012 at 8:29 pm

I am surprised there are still so many shops trading.
There prices comapred to the internet are sometimes unbeleivable.It is like they make them up.

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4
Shopper

January 2, 2012 at 9:32 pm

And the point is? Nothing scientific can be concluded from this. As people become more savvy, they are more likely to go up and down the precint a few times to check prices and view goods before going home to order online.

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5
Think Twice Pay Double

January 3, 2012 at 5:32 am

I went into town yesterday to buy a new TV, oddly Fortuna & Fotosound were closed ( why would you open on a day that everyone is off work )

First stop JEC Powerhouse 50″ Samsung plasma not full HD only 720P £550, I said I would like to support local business and buy locally but the TV could be had for £320 on the internet and showed him the web page. I know he can’t match that price but what can he do – went to speak to manager and said he could knock £25 off, I laughedf and walked away.

next the Co Op Homemaker, excellent store very helpful man said the TV I wanted a 50″ Samsung was £500 ( £50 cheaper than JEC ) the on ly model he had was on display. I again said I could buy for £320 what could he do given that it was effectively a 2nd hand set as on display in shop – nothing, no discount at all.

Nice guy and good service but clearly the only option remaining was the net.

Found a much better TV full HD 50″ Panasonic with 3D, 2 free pairs of 3D glasses worth £160 and a free 5 year guarantee for £580, same TV locally over £1000. Bought it online at John lewis ( free 5 year guarantee on all their T’s plus free delivery and VAT refunded for CI residents )

So if you want a TV you know where to go.

I strongly recommend that you visit one of our local retailers, they are a dying breed and will soon be extinct.

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- Buyer
  
  January 3, 2012 at 9:55 pm
  
  So the price asked for a second hand telly from the Coop was more than the new one! I have given up even asking – now I don’t even bother giving them the opportunity to say no.
  
  I do hope retailers read these columns and start to take note, and stop whinging about people not buying from them. Do something about it!
  
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- Overpopulated
  
  January 4, 2012 at 8:45 am
  
  Agree with you about John Lewis. We saw something in one of their very nice shops whilst we were in the UK.
  
  We ordered online when we came back, speedy delivery and no VAT – perfect.
  
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6
S2

January 3, 2012 at 7:57 am

I shopped in most of the stores yesterday and bought…..precisely nothing.

One shoe shop only reduced the prices of lesser quality shoes so I think I’ll stick to the internet there.

One well known department store had shirts reduced from GBP130 to GBP100. I laughed all the way out, having saved GBP100.

And another on ther ‘front had bedding at GBP35, compared to GBP8 (well known retailer, very good product reviews)on the internet

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7
Julie

January 4, 2012 at 7:40 am

Whilst the JEP prints a strange little story of optimism about lots of people walking up and down King Street one should perhaps read the story on Channel Online about the gloomy outlook for St Helier retailers for a more realistic picture.

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