Retailers indicate that sales for Father’s Day have decreased over the years

Due to Father’s Day, activity in plazas and shops has increased in recent days; however, consumers and business owners indicate that sales volume is far from reaching the figures of previous years.

A popular factor among the comments of Dominicans who were walking the streets in search of a good gift on Saturday morning was the effect of the high cost of living and the way in which giving gifts is not as easy as before. 

During these festivities, the number of people in the plazas is usually higher; however, given the increase in prices in Greater Santo Domingo, shoppers are analyzing which sectors are really worth buying gifts for their loved ones.

Among the aisles of the shops, there were approximately only two or three customers, indicating that the circulation of people was still limited, “yesterday (Friday) there were a few, but today there is more demand… In comparison with other years, sales started earlier,” commented Jennifer Mariñez, a collaborator of a store, who assured that many people leave their shopping until the last minute.

“Sales are slow, very slow,” Mariñez asserted.

Ana Rosado, a wife and mother, explained that she has visited stores on Duarte Avenue, Luperón Street, and other parts of the city looking for a gift, adding that the shops are lacking customers. However, with the return to school fast approaching, sales of school supplies have filled the shelves, surpassing Father’s Day gift purchases.

Rafael Montero, a father of three, expressed his preference for special moments over material gifts, suggesting this might explain why stores aren’t experiencing the same level of activity as before. He indicated that over the years, families have increasingly chosen to give parents experiences as gifts, adding, “You have to adapt to the times.”

Even with these new trends, clothing remains a strong purchase preference. Among the most in-demand items for families are shirts, T-shirts, socks, and underwear, indicating that a small segment of the population still buys traditional gifts.

Employees at a  clothing store on Duarte Avenue told Listín Diario that they expect to see more customers as the workday progresses, since business has been “less active than on a weekday.” However, they are confident that, as is typical on holidays, sales will increase during the last few hours of the day. Similarly, they noted that most shoppers entering the store were couples. However, they believe that as evening approaches, the number of children looking for gifts for their parents will increase—a trend they explain is typical each year and could help boost sales leading up to the celebration.