As of Saturday, restaurants and businesses deemed non-essential can no longer welcome customers, even on the North Shore, which was still in the orange zone.
However, online sales remain possible, and unlike the lockdown last spring, traders can organize the pick-up of purchases at the store entrance.
The director general of the Chamber of Commerce of Manicouagan, Myreille Lalancette, notes that traders are ready to offer this service, especially since they can bet on online services already set up during the first confinement.
The traders were still ready, as we experienced a first confinement. The websites were ready.
It requires adaptation, of course. It is not easy for some, but it is going well
, adds Ms. Lalancette.
The general manager of the Chamber of Commerce of Sept-Îles, Jessica Belisle, makes the same observation and adds that social networks facilitate exchanges between merchants and their customers.
She is also pleased that traders located in shopping centers can have access to their premises to prepare orders, which was not the case during the first confinement.
We see that they are still ready. Of course we hope that it does not go on forever and that the situation will get back to normal on February 8, but at least by then, people already seem to be gone to be creative and receive orders.
, observe Mme Belisle.
Still gray areas
Ms. Lalancette emphasizes that the management of possible returns or exchanges of goods, however, causes headaches for many entrepreneurs.
Refunds and exchanges require a lot of logistics for businesses that already have a reduced staff.
, she says.
Ms. Belisle also recalls that January is already a generally quieter period for businesses, since people often try to spend less after the holidays.
It is a slack period and it is also a period when, normally, suppliers send their new goods. On this side, there is a concern as to whether the businesses will receive their goods for the spring and summer.
, she adds.
Not being able to bail out their displays to attract customers could exacerbate an already precarious financial situation, Belisle said.
We hope that there will be financial aid that will be announced by the government and we know that in general, this is not aid but rather loans, so we expect over-indebtedness of our businesses, which we want to avoid at all costs.
Of course there are gray areas and we are waiting for clarifications from the Minister of Finance
, she adds.
<q data-attributes="{"lang":{"value":"fr","label":"Français"},"value":{"html":"Il y a toujours la PCU, but that does not cover the income that a hairdresser or a beautician can have in a month. Fixed costs are not reimbursed. There are even restaurateurs who told me that they were not going to open, that it was easier to close. There are loans that exist, we hope they will be more generous for this confinement “,” text “:” There is always the ECP, but that does not cover the income that a hairdresser or an esthetician can have in a month. Fixed costs are not reimbursed. There are even restaurateurs who told me that they were not going to open, that it was easier to close. There are loans that exist, we hope they will be more generous for this confinement “}}” lang = “fr”>There is always the PCU, but that does not cover the income that a hairdresser or a beautician can have in a month. Fixed costs are not reimbursed. There are even restaurateurs who told me that they were not going to open, that it was easier to close. There are loans that exist, we hope they will be more generous for this confinement., explains Ms. Belisle.
The two chambers of commerce are also trying to identify most of the businesses in the region that will continue to operate during this second lockdown, in order to allow consumers to find all the information necessary to continue buying local.
With information from Jean-Philippe Guilbault
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