So here we are, middle of January, the annual spendfest is a distant memory and I am looking forward with trepidation to the economic gloom. I work in retail, for an Apple Premium Reseller [we sell Apple computers, peripherals, iPods and related stuff for those who don’t know what that means]. Frankly, I was amazed at the frenzy of spending that went on last month leading up to Christmas. What recession? We had as good a Christmas as last year, actually better by a small margin. Very nice for me as I hope my January pay cheque will confirm!
But now, we are sliding fast into the promised slump. We are seeing a 75% drop in people coming into the store and this is reflected by a fall in sales. I do remain fairly optimistic though: last year we were a new store having opened in the October before Christmas. No-one knew we were there. Now I’d like to think we have become something of a fixture with regular customers coming back and new people finding us. We’re also finding more & more people coming into the Apple fold as they get increasingly fed up with the hassles of owning a Windows computer or are swayed by the burgeoning iPod & iPhone user base to try Apple computers.
Whether my optimism will continue as the year progresses is a matter of conjecture but for now, it’s gloom but not yet doom!
