Many clothing stores are closing. Between 2019 and 2022, the frequentation of these shops fell by 17%, while online sales explode.
The shopping streets are emptying and some signs are permanently lowering the curtain, Tuesday, January 17. In three years, 11% of fashion stores in France have closed, according to a study. In Aubagne (Bouches-du-Rhône), streets that used to be commercial are empty. “People, seeing closed streets, do not move too much, rather go elsewhere where there is more passage, “said Patrick Levy, shopkeeper in Aubagne (Bouches-du-Rhône).
Factory outlets are doing well
Between 2019 and 2022, the attendance of fashion stores fell by 17%, while at the same time, sales on the Internet increased by 80%. In Paris, this phenomenon is also found. For a manager, inflation and the decline in purchasing power are holding back customers. “The wool has increased, the thread to sew the coat has increased, the transport of the coat has increased,” says Valerie Slakmon, manager of the “Father and Sons” store. Factory outlets, which offer low prices year-round, are among the only businesses that are seeing an increase in sales.