The recession and the fall in salary purchasing power meant that Father’s Day business sales have fallen by more than 10% compared to the same celebration last year, according to a private report published this Sunday. This is a report from the Argentine Confederation of Medium Enterprises (CAME), which revealed that Father’s Day sales had a contraction of 10.2% compared to last year, measured at constant prices, despite the fact that, according to In their survey, 63% of businesses carried out special promotions.
“There were interest-free installments in many businesses and good discounts for cash payments, but people were still measured. A highlight of the date were the collective purchases, among several family members, to save,” they mentioned from the SME business entity.
The average ticket amounted to $31,574, doubling last year and in the face of much higher inflation, they indicated. They also mentioned that it did not help for retail trade that the date coincided with a long weekend.
Father’s Day: June a better sales month, but not so much
“77% of the businesses consulted said that the celebration will help to have better sales in June, although it will probably not be enough to avoid a decline compared to 2023”CAME continued. In the annual comparison, the only increase occurred in Clothing (11.1%), which the SME confederation explained by the low base of comparison, the existing stock levels and “that the prices of the sector are below the average of the economy”. On the other hand, the hardest hit category was Cosmetics and Perfumery (-37.4%).
“The drop in sales did not take 71% of merchants by surprise, who expected a weak date and sold what they expected or more. But another 29% said they had sold less than they imagined,” measured CAME. Analyzed by sectors, sales of Footwear and leather goods fell 4% in real terms compared to Father’s Day 2023, with an average ticket of $40,657.
“The sale was aimed at light, low-priced footwear, but it was still scarce. In any case, in the stores they were not surprised, because the “Expectations were very low and 80% of the companies surveyed indicated that they had sold what they expected or more.”CAME collected among its respondents.
Father’s Day: cosmetics and perfumery, the sector that suffered the most
For the most impacted item, Cosmetics and perfumery, sales sank 37.4% compared to last year, at constant prices, with an average ticket of $24,429. “It was the worst Father’s Day since the pandemic for that sector, where many businesses agreed that it did not seem like this celebration. The stores were managed with limited stock anticipating that it would be a quiet weekend,” they stated.
Regarding Appliances, household appliances and audio and video equipment, the decline was 6.1%, always at constant prices and compared to Father’s Day 2023, with an average ticket of $43,032. “Most of what came out was with cards and in interest-free installments. In promotions offered, what was used most were interest-free installments, and discounts for effective payment in the rest,” CAME said.
In Equipment, peripherals, accessories and cell phones, sales collapsed 29.2% in real terms with a ticket close to $30,104. “From the businesses surveyed they said that until Friday it was a normal day, it was only yesterday, Saturday afternoon, that some difference was made. There was a lot of sales online and through networks, which favored the locals with that modality,” said the chamber directed by Alfredo González.
Father’s Day: clothing, the only sector on the rise
Clothing had a real improvement of 11.1% compared to the previous Father’s Day, with an average ticket of $29,379. “It was the only branch on the rise, partly explained because the base of comparison was low, because of the levels of clothing stock and because the amounts in the sector remain relatively below the average. There were aggressive offers, with creative signage and advertisements to attract people to the business. The category was the one that concentrated the most gifts, taking away the market from other categories that had been gaining space, but this year due to prices they were further behind,” CAME recorded.
Bookstores, finally, had a contraction in their sales of 11.9% compared to 2023 and at constant prices, with an average ticket of $18,233. “It is an item that is always sold on this date, and one of the ones with the most last-minute sales,” CAME concluded.
With information from Infobae
