When do the recovery centers close on Sunday or Wednesday evenings? Customers and hardware stores agree on one thing: Having competent employees on the floor at all times means that the decision to cut opening hours is “less bad.”
Another finding: reduced hours during the week is a “disruptive” option on both sides.
Thus, about 77% of merchants are willing to compromise on the schedule rather than reduce the number of employees present to answer questions in the aisles. As for consumers, 61% of them prefer this option: less hours, but service at all times.
It emerged from two surveys conducted by CROP and the Quebec Association of Hardware and Building Materials (AQMAT), the results of which were released Thursday during the organization’s convention in Saint-Hyacinthe.
“The merchant is there and the consumer is ready to go there,” said Richard Darvey, president and CEO of AQMAT. He admitted that both surveys had given him the freedom to continue his fight against reduced opening hours. According to him, they cannot apply the same to all businesses. “The expectations are not the same when you walk into a bike shop, convenience store or hardware store. »
Press It was revealed at the beginning of this year According to a review conducted by AQMAT, almost half of hardware stores will reduce their opening hours in 2022. Of the nearly 800 stores, 400 have made the change. However, Mr. Darveau wants.
“I have members who want to cut their hours, but they’re afraid of the consequences,” he said.
Thus, 68% of surveyed customers – residential owners – said they would experience little or no inconvenience if their hardware store were closed on Sundays. This ratio rises to 66% if business is closed on weekdays.
For their part, 71% of traders believe that closing on Sunday is not a “penalty” for customers. On the other hand, the idea of closing shop on weekdays rallies some hardware stores, with 87% confirming that it is not a good idea.
The results of both surveys were sent to the office of Finance, Innovation and Energy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon, as well as the Conseil Québécois du Commerce de Retail (CQCD) and the Canadian Retail Council (CCCD).
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