By Savannah Maher
The deadline for quarantine is quickly approaching, as a New Yorker, it is frightening to be in the hotspot of the disease in comparison to the entire world. When May 15th comes around and the governor decides to open up storefronts, we can expect a new normal.
Manhattan is usually crowded with people and the hub of fashion. New Yorkers are tough, but they are also smart. Tarana Sable from the Upper East Side and current NYU student says “I haven’t been outside in two months, its ground zero out here”.
I do not think the city is going to return to its original form for a month or two, but I believe we will bounce back and NYC will be back in no time. After all, Broadway is opening on June 7th because the show must go on!
New Ways To Shop
Many grocery stores have a ten-person limit and tape on the floor to guide customers where to stand while staying six feet apart, this is a likely reality for most retail stores when they re-open.
For the customers’ safety, I think it would be best if everyone knew their exact sizes and just bought the clothes instead of trying pieces on in the dressing room. It would cause too much of a risk if people were trying on clothes and someone that had Covid-19 passed it onto the garment. Big purchases that need to be fitted such as a wedding or prom dress will most likely be appointment only.
Sanitize in Style
The re-opening of stores will need to have responsibility from both the workers and the customers. The workers should clean the racks, cash registers, dressing rooms, and used hangers. Both the customers and the workers should be wearing gloves and masks at all times. In addition to these precautions, hand sanitizer should be at every counter.
To secure the workers’ safety, customers should try to use credit cards to avoid unnecessary germ transactions. According to CNBC, Simon Property Group, the biggest mall owner in the U.S. is promoting the use of Apple Pay as a contactless payment method.
Support Safely From Home
Online shopping is the safest way to get your retail therapy fix-in. Many stores are taking extra time to sanitize their packages before shipping them. SHEIN sent an email out to their customers saying “We have got a notification from a shipping company that they have reduced the number of their couriers to help control the outbreak of worldwide pandemic and protect the safety of all people”.
Shoppers should expect delays on their packages but it is in their best interest. To compromise, SHEIN is giving 200 points to their customers’ accounts that will mark down the price of items. Since workers cannot practice customer service in person, store websites will have to increase their emails and point reward systems as a form of mediated customer service.
Covid-19 Changes
Non-essential businesses have been shut down all across America in efforts to prevent the spread of Covid-19, fashion has been labeled non-essential and retail businesses are hurting. According to NBC, retail sales dropped 8.7% in March, the biggest decline since 1992.
According to Forbes, Sephora is opening 100 new stores not associated with malls. This is safer for Sephora shoppers because they won’t need to go into enclosed crowded spaces like before.
Good News for Small Businesses
Enclosed crowded spaces such as malls may be the last thing people want to be in post-Covid, outdoor shopping outlets may be the easiest way to shop for a while. While the world is feeling uneasy at the moment, shoppers will want to be in places where they feel safest.
I predict that there will be an increase in people wanting to support their local retail businesses because there are usually fewer people in the store, they know the store on a more personal level, and it is a known fact that small businesses are struggling during the pandemic.
Euphoric Funk 