Boxing Day sales were in full swing across the country, but were shoppers really spending this holiday season? TV6 hit the streets of Port of Spain to find out how businesses and vendors fared — and whether sale signs translated into sales.
Our reporter Sharla Kistow and Camera operator Brandon Benoit bring you these highlights
00:00Sale, sale, sale. On the inside of stores and maybe on the outside.
00:06But did shoppers really spend this holiday season?
00:09As we know, most shoppers love a good bargain.
00:13But when TV6 took a walk through the capital city on Boxing Day,
00:16we saw plenty of sale signs and noticeably lighter foot traffic.
00:21One of the shopping locations we visited was Center Stage on Federick Street.
00:24The store manager of Center Stage, Flutes and Working Women said sales were better this year compared to last.
00:32But she credits that success to preparation, not the economy.
00:36As you said, if you prepared more, what was like a preparation?
00:39Getting all the merchandise on time. That's the key.
00:43This year I got everything on time and I had it organized.
00:47But I was expecting more money, more sales.
00:49They came for what they wanted. They came for what they know I have and they came for it.
00:54And they got it.
00:55But just next door, the store manager of Trendy Kids, who spoke to us off camera, said business was slower than usual,
01:03noting that shoppers were only buying what they truly needed.
01:07Street vendors on Federick Street shared a similar mixed experiences.
01:11One vendor said sales were slow at first, but eventually picked up closer to Christmas.
01:16For the last few days, like the money, to the sales north that I picked up.
01:21But I trust in God first.
01:23I come out, I pray, I ask God to bring sales to me, ask for God to get the protection and thing.
01:29And I see God works because God is the only one that's helped me out here.
01:32However, Lynn Cassie, another street vendor who sells watches and t-shirts, said this year was one of her worst holiday seasons.
01:41Sale was very terrible, very bad for this holiday.
01:45For this Christmas season, it was very bad because, remember, people don't have money.
01:49People out there work.
01:50So whoever got little money had to see about buying foodstuff for the family, the children.
01:55You understand?
01:56So who have extra will come and buy something to give somebody for a gift?
02:00But other than that, for the month of years I doing business this year, it was very bad.
02:06She believes international tensions between the United States and Venezuela have also affected local businesses.
02:14You think the reason for these slow sales is because of the tensions that are going on between the U.S. and Venezuela?
02:20Yeah.
02:21Because, you see, what happened is people further spending money because they don't know what it will be going on for next year.
02:28You understand?
02:29People order goods online and can't get it.
02:31One of my wholesalers order one of the goods online.
02:32We cannot get it because they cannot leave over there in the U.S. to come to Trinidad after now or so.
02:37What is going on between the U.S. and Venezuela is very sad and very hurting because Venezuela, for me, I don't hate nobody.
02:46And I find Venezuela ain't do us nothing.
02:48You understand?
02:49So why there's all this kind of shooting and killing and blowing up and all this kind of thing, that don't make no sense because at the end of the day, everybody is one.
02:58Everybody has to live like one, but as they say, but everybody, the power, that is what they're fighting for.
03:04But not all businesses struggled.
03:07At a boutique mall, the manager of Soulmeat said sales have been strong.
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