Summer sales officially launched throughout Italy . After the early opening of Sicily and Calabria (on 1st July), Campania (21st July) and Piedmont, Lombardy and Friuli-Venezia Giulia (last week), today the end of season sales start in all the remaining regions of Italy . Confesercenti reminds him in a note in which he reports the data of the survey carried out with Swg, conducted on a sample of consumers and 6000 clothing and footwear companies.
The prospects - Confesercenti explains - are timidly positive, with a growing consumer interest: 6 out of 10 Italians have already decided to buy (or already purchased, in the regions where sales have already started). A figure almost double the 33% recorded during the summer sales of last year .
On the other hand, the average budget for purchases is down, going to 116 euros, 20% less than what was allocated last year (146 euros). The restrictions of the coronavirus have however had a great impact and the decision to move the sales forward by a month has not found all the shopkeepers agree and many have launched promotions and pre-sales.
Advances or not - Confesercenti explains - consumers seem however oriented to take advantage of the opportunity of sales on multiple sales channels. With good forecasts for independent stores: 29% indicate that they want to make their purchases here, a share slightly less than those who choose the big chains (33%). 26% will also buy in an outlet, while 16% will go to a franchise brand shop. Instead, a quarter (25%) of respondents will shop online. Shoes and T-shirts will be the most sought after products: footwear is on the list of purchases to be made by 56% of consumers who will participate in the sales, 48% for T-shirts. Higher percentages than usual, perhaps indicating 'postponed purchases' in recent months. In the customers' wishes, shirts and blouses (indicated by 32%), underwear (26%) and costumes (18%) follow. "This year, summer sales are an excellent opportunity for customers", explains Fabio Tinti, national president of Fismo Confesercenti. "The stores have a vast assortment and offer higher discounts than usual, also to try to recover part of the liquidity lost during the lockdown and to limit the damage of a difficult year: consumers will find, in the shops, the quality always at prices The future of the fashion store network is at stake: it will be fundamental that the government also lend a hand, for example by extending the tax benefits for the inventories of highly seasonal products to the market ".