Holiday shopping trends shifting as local retail push gains traction

It's estimated approximately 194 million Americans shopped during the recent Thanksgiving holiday weekend that included Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday.

Early indications on the national level are the number of Black Friday shoppers declined significantly, in large part because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the fact many retailers have extended their Black Friday deals over several days or even weeks.

However, there seems little doubt Cyber Monday is destined to surpass Black Friday as the single most important retail shopping day in the United States.

According to national media reports, in-store shopping on Black Friday dropped 52% this year compared to 2019.

Cyber Monday sales were up by as much as 35% over last year, with spending expected to reach between $10.8 billion and $12.7 billion, according to Adobe Analytics.

As for Small Business Saturday, it's difficult to quantify this year's results, but from what I've heard from local business leaders, this year's event, which encourages people to "shop local," was as successful, or more so, than ever.

"I've heard feedback from many of our downtown businesses that there was more foot traffic and stronger sales this Small Business Saturday than last year," Liz Haynes, executive director of Old Town Cape, told me. "And a few have shared that this was a record Small Business Saturday."

She said one downtown business owner, who has been in business for "several decades," said it was the best single shopping day in the store's history.

"I've continued to be impressed by the community rallying around our downtown businesses during these challenging times," Liz said. "We are a resilient community!"

Brian Gerau, president and CEO of the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce, told me he had similar conversations with several Jackson retailers.

Brian shared survey results from the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), which surveyed more than 1,000 Americans about their shopping habits. ICSC found 52% of survey respondents made purchases with locally-owned businesses during the extended Thanksgiving holiday.

Among the reasons they gave for in-store shopping, most said it was important they could see and inspect merchandise in person, something they can't do when they shop online. Many (54%) said it was important to get their purchases immediately and 39% mentioned the convenience of "one-stop" shopping.

I heard from Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce president and CEO John Mehner on Thursday, who said he hadn't had a chance to speak with many merchants last week, "other than the ones I spoke to while shopping on Small Business Saturday." However, he said he is encouraged by overall support of local retailers and pointed to Cape County's sales tax revenue, which is running about 5% ahead of last year's pace.

Chamber reviews 2020 challenges as businesses 'pivot' because of COVID

Although there are still a few weeks left in the year, the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce's "virtual" First Friday Coffee last week included a wrap up of 2020 mostly focusing on the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"While 2020 was extremely challenging for many of our local businesses," chamber president and CEO John Mehner told those who watched his online remarks. "Frankly, we lost a few, and that hurts."

But many other businesses, he said, "figured out ways to adapt and pivot to remain relevant and keep fighting through this period of time. Your fierce commitment to not giving up, regardless of what this year has dealt you, is what makes this region special."

John specifically alluded to some positive business news in the area during 2020, including the announcement by the accounting firm K-Coe Isom in Jackson of a multimillion dollar, 40-job expansion and the establishment of Patriot Medical Devices in Cape Girardeau, a company that produces face masks.

"We also have two redevelopment projects on Broadway, really large redevelopment projects, that were announced this year," he said. "And we may have some additional news concerning some other buildings in the area that I want you to be ready for."

Holiday safety tips

Ameren Missouri has issued a set of electrical and fire prevention safety tips the company says can not only make the holidays safer, but can save money as well.

As families deck their halls in the weeks leading up to Christmas, Ameren reminds you to:

• Inspect all holiday lights for broken or cracked sockets. Look for frayed or bare wires, loose connections or damaged plugs and throw away damaged light sets.
• Make sure lights, decorations and other electrical devices are disconnected before installing or working on them.
• Never overload electrical circuits or outlets. Use no more than three standard-size sets of lights on an extension cord to prevent them from overheating.
• For outdoor lighting, use lights certified by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) that are approved for outdoor use. Also use heavy-duty UL-certified outdoor extension cords.
• Do not place cords under rugs or carpets where they can be walked on or where someone can trip over them.
• If you use a ladder to hang outdoor lights, beware of overhead electrical wires near your house or street. If possible, use a ladder that does not conduct electricity, such as fiberglass with nonconductive side rails.
• Keep decorations away from heat sources such as fireplaces, space heaters and furnaces. Nearly 40% of decoration fires happen because they are placed too close to a heat source.
• Extinguish candles before leaving the room or going to bed. More than a third of home decoration fires are started by candles.
• When choosing a live tree, choose one that is new and fresh. Older trees tend to be drier and can catch fire more easily and burn faster.
• For artificial trees, select one that has been tested and labeled as being "fire resistant."

Light strands that use LED lights are typically safer, sturdier and last longer than incandescent bulbs, which can help save energy inside your home and can help lower the cost of outside light displays as well. LED light strands can be used for up to 40 holiday seasons, according to Ameren, and burn cooler than incandescent lights, thereby reducing the risk of fire.

More information may be found online at www.AmerenMissouriSavings.com.

Cape apartment rental rates up 6% in 2020

A new report issued last week by www.zumper.com, an online apartment locater and rental service, states the average one-bedroom apartment available in Cape Girardeau rented for $550 a month in November, which is a 6% increase compared to last November, when the average monthly rental rate for available one-bedroom apartments was $520.

Meanwhile, the average monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Cape last month was $645, up $5 from October's average of $640 a month, and $40 higher than the November 2019 monthly average of $604.

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