The Retail Sector hasn’t escaped the affects of COVID-19. In fact it has borne the brunt of  Covid.

The recent New South Wales COVID outbreak has caused major problems for retail businesses, particularly the small local businesses who are considered non-essential.

Alison Foreman’s store, Label A in Young is one of those businesses which has been affected.

“As a business that falls under the non-essential category we didn’t actually have a level playing field.”

“During this lockdown I have found that I can go everywhere I would like to, but I can’t go and buy a pair of shoes and things like that.”

Alison said due to travel restrictions and lockdowns placed on the entire state as well as the ACT, cash flow decreased due to sales being low.

“The biggest struggle I found is that you have the same overhead expenses but no income.”

“This is on the back of a very slow winter sale due to the lack of travellers and the lockdowns.”

Over the last 18 months a lot of businesses have been forced to take their businesses online to continue making money but Alison believes it’s harder to do than people think.

“People always say you can pivot and go online, yes you can but not all business will be able to do that.”

“There’s a lot of retailers out there especially in our region that are a lot older and they are not going to be able to create an online store and load their products onto social media.”

“It’s essentially having another staff member because you are theoretically running two stores.”

Alison says that small businesses can police their stores much easier than the bigger corporations.

“We can use the one in one out system, make sure you have your double vaccinations ticks on your phone.”

“We are now competing with these bigger corporations, the mentality has now changed from walk in and support your small local retailer to just buying online and going to the post office to get it because it’s open.”

The mentality in small country towns is buy local and keep your money in the local economy, but how are you meant to keep money in your local economy when the businesses are not open?

“If these businesses are closed then consumers are taking their money out of the town.”

“It breaks your heart because you think all the money that towns are bleeding to big online traders is massive, I would hate to think of the millions of dollars that we are losing.”

Alison made a few changes to how trading works at Label A including the online store.

“We are using our social media sites and try to advertise click and collect. A lot of the businesses in town have set up tables at the front of the store.”

“We have also provided contactless delivery, phone orders and postal orders. This is the only way that we can try and get some income.”

“There’s not a lot we have been able to do because there’s no passing traffic, so if people are coming to the shopfront its only to pick up their product.”

Alison is urging people to look in their own backyard first before buying online or outside the region.

“Check your region first, check if you can call the business, give the small businesses a chance.”

“Give the small businesses a call or send them a message to see if they have a product because we are willing to bend over backwards during these times.”

“A decent amount of people are starting their Christmas shopping early so they don’t miss out on things and a lot are buying things to support the local businesses.”

“Showing that support towards our businesses gives us money to restock things which our customers are showing interest in.”

When starting Christmas shopping or looking for a gift for a special occasion keep these small businesses in mind, your support would be greatly appreciated.

Hilltops Council is now out of lock down and Alison hopes to see all of her regular clients as well as some new ones soon.

Tahlia Crane