Barry Plunkett knows one thing for sure: the 2021 holiday season is better than last year when COVID-19 kept many shoppers away.
“I guarantee it’s going to beat 2020,” said Plunkett, who owns Interiors Market in Woodland Hills Shopping Center in Jackson.
Holiday spending for 2021 could shatter previous records, according to the National Retail Federation.
The federation forecasts that sales during November and December will grow between 8.5 percent and 10.5 percent over 2020 to between $843.4 billion and $859 billion. The numbers, which exclude automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants, compare with a previous high of 8.2 percent in 2020 to $777.3 billion and an average increase of 4.4 percent over the past five years.
Consumers plan to spend $997.73 on gifts, holiday items and other non-gift purchases for themselves and their families this year, according to the federation.
While some Big Box stores report being unable to get merchandise due to shipping issues, local retailers have fared better.
“We don’t have depth in a lot of things, but that’s not who we are,” Plunkett said. “We aren’t hurt as much as retailers that depend upon foreign manufacturers and shelf after shelf of the same thing.
“We don’t want to have 24 of the same item. When people shop with us, they’re looking outside the Big Box type thing and they’re not expecting to find the newest toy or latest trinket.”
Products made in Mississippi such as charcuterie boards, which are popular for entertaining, have been well received, Plunkett said. “We have them custom-made in north Mississippi out of Mississippi wood,” he said, noting that he’s already sold six of the boards that measure 40 inches in diameter.
When someone buys one of the boards, Plunkett suggests a purchase at another business in Woodland Hills Shopping Center to accompany it. He may recommend buying cheese and olives at Corner Market or a bottle of wine at Fondren Cellars. In turn, Fondren Cellars will refer shoppers to Interiors Market for vintage high ball glass or wine goblets.
Madison Marketplace in Madison has experienced no supply problems because it stocks mostly locally made or Mississippi-made products, said Gladys Dorian, co-owner of Madison Marketplace. “It’s not an issue for us,” she said.
Kinkade’s Fine Clothing in Ridgeland has experienced no delays with merchandise thanks to longstanding relationships with vendors.
“I’ve been in the business for over 30 years and we’ve built a lot of relationships with vendors,” said Keith Kinkade, owner of Kinkade’s Fine Clothing.
“Men’s retail buys product almost a year in advance. I’ll go to market in January 2022 for fall and holiday deliveries. We work nine months to a year in advance for the holiday season.”
Kinkade’s has always offered curbside pickup, delivery and shipping, Kinkade said, and continues to do so. Like many past holiday seasons, mothers and grandmothers, who like to shop in person, are stopping by to select clothing for their sons, grandsons and nephews.
“That’s where we feel like we have the opportunity to wait on them one-by-one and make it a fun buying experience,” he said.
Small businesses from boutiques to gift shops shine when it comes to customer service.
“Whatever a customer needs us to do, we’re there for them,” said Kinkade, who has been known to deliver a pair of pants at 10 p.m. to a customer who needed them to take on a trip out of town.
For customers who enjoy returning home with beautifully wrapped gifts ready to place under the Christmas tree, Kinkade’s can make it happen.
“They can choose the paper,” he said of the complimentary wrap. “We put real ribbons on the packages and a gift tag. If a customer buys 10 things and wants each one wrapped separately, we do that.”
The Commissary in Renaissance at Colony Park in Ridgeland also offers free gift wrap, even on toys that come packaged so one side is open so it can be viewed. “We’ve learned to pad those, so a customer’s hand doesn’t go through the gift wrap when they pick up the package,” said Melissa Skelton, owner of The Commissary.
Business has been brisk since October, Skelton said.
“I’ve had the best October and November on record,” she said. “December started off with a bang. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it will continue.”
To ensure merchandise was available to stock the store, Skelton placed orders in June and had them shipped at that time instead of waiting.
“That has paid off so far,” she said. “I think that might be why we had people buying earlier, because we had the merchandise.”
Skelton said almost every day she hears numerous shoppers tell her they’re focused on local businesses because they want to support hometown retailers and they want to have gifts in hand rather than ordering online and waiting to see if they’re going to arrive before Christmas.
“I think there’s a lot of pent-up demand,” she said. “People weren’t able to be with friends and family last year and I think now they’re wanting to make up for that. They’re spending money locally.”
The weekend before Christmas is always the busiest for shoppers.
“People are like ‘Oh, no, Christmas is seven days away,’” Skelton said. “They’re out getting last minute gifts and menu items.”
Dave Edmonson, general manager at Buffalo Peak Outfitters in Highland Village in Jackson, said Black Friday kicked off a strong shopping season. “We had awesome traffic,’ he said.
On Black Friday, shoppers flocked to Highland Village in large numbers and continue to do so, Edmonson said.
“I’ve been here 25 years or so and I haven’t seen the crowds of people at Highland Village like they are now,” he said. “The restaurants in the Village are full.”
Edmonson believes shoppers started early after hearing news of shortages. “With the supply chain being what it is, they want to make sure they have it in hand versus relying on shipping or an internet company they’re not familiar with.”
Online shopping may be easier, more convenient and sometimes cheaper, but the experience isn’t the same. “Coming to a shop, seeing your friends there, the salesperson you’ve worked with for years, all of those things are part of the community experience,” he said.
Erik Kegler, one of the owners of EK Home in Highland Village, echoes that many people this year are taking time to shop in person.
“We’re seeing a lot of people out and about,” he said. “People seem really excited and are in the spirit.”
Shoppers excited to be out and about and running into friends they haven’t seen in a while and talk of celebrating the holidays with family and friends has been the norm this year, Dorian said. “It’s the silver lining to COVID,” she said.
Even though some shoppers may have started their holiday gift buying early, there will be those who wait until the last minute.
“That’s just part of it,” Kegler said. “I’m not a last-minute shopper but I do get that last-minute surge where I feel like I just want to buy one more gift.”
Skelton expects sales to remain steady into the new year. “People will have gift cards and receive money at Christmas that they want to spend.”
Because of his positive feeling going into the holidays, Plunkett ordered several sofas, chairs and ottomans that are set to arrive at Interiors Market in January. “I wouldn’t have done that if I thought I’d have tons of merchandise sitting on the floor,” he said.
