Claude Mills, Senior Staff Reporter
Living-room furniture on display at Courts. - JUNIOR DOWIE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
WITH ONLY two days to go, the cha-ching of cash registers racking up sales has become the Yuletide background music in the malls all across Jamaica.
Several delighted hardware merchants reported Saturday that sales are better than ever, certainly showing improvements over last year, as male shoppers have been flocking the stores in droves.
When hamstrung by Christmas stress, or straitjacketed by the frustrations of life, men and women tend to respond differently: Women go shopping for cute little household items, while men purchase cars, invade countries or hey, buy power tools.
"Hand tools and power tools are huge sellers this year - Stan Lee wrenches, Black and Decker power tools, they are really selling quickly as people renovate their homes this year," said Donald Thompson, branch manager of Rapid True Value in the Lane Plaza.
Testosterone-heavy toys are also doing quite well this year, and the optimism of some retailers like Rapid True Value has kept pace with sales.
"We've expanded our toy range, and that has done very well, dumper trucks, tractors, and big cars for kids, some of which are attractively priced, that is, under $1,000, are doing very well," Mr. Thompson said.
Female shoppers have been gravitating towards household items such as bed spreads, curtains and rugs.
"I believe that what we are seeing is part of the hurricane recovery effort where everyone is trying to make sure their houses are looking great this Christmas after the hectic hurricane season," reasoned Courtney Tomlinson, manager of the Spanish Town branch of Tools Hardware and Supplies Ltd.
At least one manager, Adrian Christian of MegaMart in Portmore, is nearly giddy about the booming sales of the 2005 holiday season.
"Everything is selling, toiletries, flower pots, bathroom accessories and faucets, in our hardware section, picture frames are doing really well; everything household is going, people are buying ... hanging baskets, shower curtains, comforters, especially multiple drawer storage boxes, especially for the Portmore houses. Sales are showing signs of being better this year, things are looking up," he said.
Indications are that Jamaicans are scrambling to spiff up their houses for the final run into Christmas Day.
"Paint and paint brushes are the huge traditional sellers at this time of the year as people fix up their homes, but tiles, windows, doors are also doing well. However, in real terms, sales are down this year," a manager of Home and Things, said yesterday.
As house renovations continue full throttle, furniture retailers are also doing a brisk business. Stacey Campbell, purchasing manager at Courts Jamaica Ltd., said: "Breakfronts are big sellers, coffee tables, and the Heavenly range in bedding are doing phenomenal business. In small appliances, laptops, digital cameras, and 42-inch plasma televisions are doing well."
