Most of the nation was on Santa’s “nice list” this year, or at least that’s what reports indicate, based on an increase in 2009 holiday sales compared with last year.
Survey results from MasterCard Advisors’ SpendingPulse showed a definite rise in holiday sales between Nov. 1 and Dec. 24 compared with the same period last year. MasterCard’s results show a 3.6 percent rise in retail sales, excluding gasoline and automotive sales, for all payment forms.
Eugene businesses also saw the effect of happy shoppers.
Lisa Hartwick, owner of Hartwick’s gourmet kitchen store in the 5th Street Market, said her store saw a definite increase.
“(Hartwick’s) had its best holiday season so far, and that’s since we started in 2006,” Hartwick said. “And a very large part of that is due to the fact that people were shopping local and getting things made locally.”
Hartwick’s customers, instead of spending a little bit here or there throughout the year, waited for the holiday season to spend it all.
“I would hear customers say, ‘Oh, we should get that for so-and-so for Christmas’ or ‘Wouldn’t that be a great stocking suffer,’” Hartwick said. “It was their way of conserving money.”
Hartwick linked her success to the store’s proximity to customers and the availability and knowledge of associates.
“Good customer service has always been our priority here, and I think that aspect paid off when it came down to it,” Hartwick said. “We all have tested the merchandise and utilized them to the point where we are comfortable advising customers on products that are functional for everyday use.”
Functionality of the products is another aspect that Hartwick said she thought led to a prosperous season.
“People are buying items that are functional in their lives, things they can utilize,” Hartwick said. “You know people aren’t eating out as much, so cooking at home and spending time with family has become more popular.”
Another side of business also saw a jump in sales: online shopping and handmade or one-of-a-kind gifts.
Etsy.com, a global community of buyers and sellers, combines both of those aspects and is home to seamstresses, welders and homemade craftsmen alike. Amy Vellutini, a resident of Eugene, is one of those artisans.
“Sales seemed high, which is usually the case for the holidays,” Vellutini said. “And I feel that sales of handmade goods remain fairly steady in rough economic times, partly because people can’t get those goods anywhere else, and partly because people want their gifts to have more meaning when they are stretching their budget.”
Vellutini’s online shop on Etsy, Loopd, sells various T-shirts and knitted items ranging from a $10 onesie to $35 leg warmers.
As a shopper herself, Vellutini said she made most of her purchases in downtown Eugene.
“Sometimes it’s a little pricier than the big box stores, but it’s worth it for driving less, not waiting in lines and supporting our local economy,” Vellutini said. “Just like buying handmade, shopping from independent retailers keeps money here in our local area.”
Tracy Terrall, a communication science and disorders student at the University, also works as a shopkeeper on Etsy. She has operated a hand-dyed yarn store since 2007 and a hand-knit accessory store called TJTDesign since last year.
Terrall said that she saw slightly less traffic this year compared with last, but that business remained strong.
“I noticed that the holiday season ended in my knitting store sooner than last year,” Terrall said. “My yarn store has remained busy with many of my custom orders coming in towards the end of December. Overall, this year was successful, even if slightly down from last year.”
The knitting store’s biggest seller was the Recycled Sari Silk Random Drop Stitch scarf. Selling for $40, Terrall said she thought its popularity is due to its uniqueness.
“Local and unique is really big for the Eugene area,” Hartwick said. “It can benefit you as a business owner, as well.”
Along with an increase in sales, many businesses owners also witnessed an change in customer attitude.
Vellutini said what she saw “was more of a lightheartedness among shoppers, like maybe people are kind of tired of all the depressing economic news, and they still want to enjoy the holidays despite the downturn.”
No matter what the cause, these stores were satisfied to see the numbers they did.
“We were very lucky because I know lots of businesses that weren’t so lucky,” Hartwick said. “It could be the industry that we are in, or the service that we provide, but I know I am grateful to all our customers this season.”
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