Retailers have received a festive spike in revenue as milder weather than last year has encouraged shoppers out, providing a welcome in some cases crucial cash injection.
With only Friday and Saturday left to buy gifts, businesses are hopeful of a final surge. Dundee’s Overgate centre manager David Carson said sales in the shopping mall are ending on a high note for the year.
He said: ”In the last four weeks the sales have been strong and footfall was actually up 3% last week on the Scottish average. Sales were also up 7% on the same period last year so although it is not all a bed of roses it is a very healthy picture.”
Last year’s widespread snow had a devastating impact on Christmas sales. Thankfully this has not been repeated, leaving many retailers with a welcome lift in sales.
Mr Carson said: ”It is very difficult to give a comparative sales figure with last year but what we have seen are strong performances especially in giftcards.
”What happened last year was that people stayed away up until the week before when the weather improved slightly and we saw an incredible spike in sales.
”That may happen again but overall it has been a positive Christmas period for us.”
For shoppers there is good news also, with 2012 predicted to be the year of the sale experts say retailers will continue them longer than ever to win customers.
The prediction comes as retail figures for Scotland revealed last month’s total sales endured its steepest decline for at least 12 years.
Derek Little, chairman of the retail action group DD One, believes Dundee footfall is down but business overall is better than expected.
He said: ”The weather has helped and we have had a quite a few visitors from outside Dundee come to the city to do their Christmas shopping, which is very encouraging.
”Retailers are facing a tough six months and I just hope that they have all looked forward to ensure they have a healthy cash flow, that is very important.”
He added: ”I would be worried if there was a business out there that was dependent on just Christmas trade.”
Research by the Centre for Retail Research revealed that UK shoppers will spend £1.05bn over Christmas.
For the backbone of Perth’s retail sector the independent traders the festive period is seen as vital following a difficult 12 months.
”Everybody in retail is down over the year, but we have been very busy recently,” said Jane Atkinson, owner of Bertie Browns in South Street which specialises in jewellery, cards and gifts.
Sales assistant Debbie Czarnecki said they could always rely on one section of the population to leave things to the last minute.
”From previous year’s experience it is normally men who will be doing their last minute shopping on Christmas Eve,” she said.
The recent completion of new paving in the High Street was welcomed by traders, allowing the customers thronging the centre to spend their money rather than circumnavigating dug up areas.
”It is great they have finished the work, we are now looking forward to a snow-free period,” said Steven Gilbert, proprietor of Campus Sports in the High Street.
”In tough trading conditions we need all the help we can get.”
Jewellers T.B. Mitchell reported that goods at the top end seemed to have been largely unaffected by the economic climate.
”Christmas has been good for ourselves,” said Paul Williams, manager of the St John Street jewellers.’Luxury market buoyant”It started early and the momentum has continued right through. We are expecting a busy time on Friday and Saturday traditionally there is always a last minute rush.
”Christmas is a very important time for jewellery generally. High end goods have been very strong, the luxury market is very buoyant.”
Family-owned department store McEwens of Perth started their sale early for the first time in their history in the face of heavy discounting on the High Street.
Managing director JohnBullough said this had given them a significant boost and they were not having to contend with the atrocious weather of the last two years.
”Trading continues to be very tough, which gives us concerns for how things are going to unfold past the sale, in February next year,” he said.
Also making the most of the Christmas trade was social enterprise Giraffe whose shop in South Street has been doing a roaring trade in holly wreaths and decorations made at their Ladeside premises.
All money raised from the store is ploughed back into their work with people with significant hurdles to accessing and sustaining employment, such as mental illness and learning disabilities.
”It has been upbeat and busy with shoppers looking for good quality products at reasonable prices,” said James Alexander of Giraffe.
Shoppers themselves seemed resigned to the costs.
”I don’t really want to spend a fortune but there is tremendous pressure to buy things,” said a parcel-laden John Tyler (37), from Scone.’Steady’Shopping was ”steady” around Fife as the countdown to Christmas continued.
Bill Harvey, Business Improvement District coordinator with Kirkcaldy4All, said: ”Kirkcaldy High Street looks as if it is busy enough, but only time will tell if the footfall reflects in the sales figures.”
The Kingsgate in Dunfermline said business was steady, with all levels of the adjoining multi-storey car park busy.
Susan Hughes, the chief executive of local BID company Dunfermline Delivers, said: ”Dunfermline has been busy in the run-up to Christmas, but initial feedback from traders is that footfall is not quite as high as last year.
”We won’t have any official figures until January, but we expect the trend to be in line with the national average.”
Just last month Dunfermline Delivers launched a retail sub group looking at ways to improve footfall and counter the rising trend of online shopping. By coincidence Dunfermline was named Scottish online shopping capital of Scotland by the Royal Mail last month.
David Grove, lead officer of enterprise planning and protective services at Fife Council, has been monitoring vacancy rates on Kirkcaldy High Street since 2009 and is optimistic things will pick up.