Internet sales negatively impact small businesses in Saint Lucia, fueling concerns that their existence is under threat.
Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre raised the alarm this week when he appeared on the Radio 100 programme , ‘What Makes You Mad‘.
He said it was a major problem and said small businesses were under pressure.
Pierre, the Minister of Finance, noted an absence of itinerant vendors selling products from suitcases.
“A major problem I have is what do I do about small businesses under pressure because of internet sales. I have this major problem. Philosophically, I know where I want to go because of where I came from,” Pierre stated.
He also said he wanted to open the discussion.
The President of the Saint Lucia Craft and Dry Goods Vendors Association, Peter ‘Ras Ips’ Isaac, echoed the Prime Minister’s concerns.
He explained that Internet sales have a huge negative impact on local small businesses.
According to Isaac, when locals purchase goods online, it affects the national economy, threatens jobs, and undermines small businesses.
He felt there was no simple solution to the problem.
“We are in a serious dilemma now,” the Vendors Association President told St. Lucia Times.
Nevertheless, a business consultant advised small businesses to advertise on platforms like Facebook and establish online payments.
The consultant used the example of a seamstress who could advertise garments online to a specific target audience, offering price discounts.
“Online sales are instant and people don’t have to travel to your business place,” the official told St. Lucia Times.
The consultant also suggested setting up websites and offering a delivery service in the case of restaurants, noting that in today’s world, people are glued to their smartphones.
“Someone may not feel like cooking and want a nice pumpkin soup. You could pay someone on a motorbike to deliver it or do so yourself from your kitchen,” the consultant suggested.
The official, highlighting the power of social media advertising, recalled placing a vacancy ad on Facebook and receiving hundreds of applications when others expected few responses.
“We need to respond in kind,” the consultant declared regarding the online sales threat to local small businesses.
All they have to do is drop their price, and compete..
They want to buy things next to nothing and come back and sell it 5 times it’s value and not expect to go extinct
Brick and motor business better take note of the consultant’s advice. Internet commerce is here to stay and will become more prevalent in the world.
The era of the “Speculator” which preceded the “Speculator Store” is coming to a halt. Witness the number of Flash Shops that open on weekends.
Small businesses must also understand that they need to move their inventory. The longer the items remain in your hands the more they cost (less profitable to your business), and keeping them at the original selling price is merely a sign of your desperation.
Small business need to adapt or close shop.
Well what i say we are in 2024 but when it comes to the technology in Saint Lucia “nous sommes derrière comme deux talons”
Local vendors refuse to promote and sell their products. For example Massy and Computer world will not show you a working g computer before they sell it. They demand that you buy it first… They say it is too much work to show how it works…
Who buys a house or house without evaluating it first?
I might as well but my computer online because I won’t be able to evaluate it there either.
Peep are you going to do the same thing like you did to people importing vehicles. Place ridiculous taxes on imports to protect business owners and friends and campaign donors? Importing a used car into St. Lucia costs 4x times as much as it would in the USA. A country with 4 times the purchasing power that we do. All because of taxes on protecting the big boys.
Where do the small business get their goods from? The same internet sales
The small business owners need to “up their game”. Competitive prices are everywhere and the consumer has the right to chose what’s best for his/her needs and pocket. Do they really expect the Prime Minister to intervene on their behalf?!
The PM should not take on internet sales. This is an opportunity for local small businesses to step up their game. They charge exorbitant prices in order to make greedy profits. Internet sales help us to get some reasonable prices. Should the pm make internet sales more expensive then he will lose a lot of votes. Enough is enough with these high prices. Massy needs to get a blow from the increase in internet sales in order for them to stop with the extra greedy profits from exorbitant prices….
“Amazon St.Lucia” coming soon to a place near you. No more overheads such as rent, utility bills, salary etc. These savings will be passed down to the consumers – coming soon !!!
I am happy i have options tell if the kitchen to hot get out
The power to purchasing..
Too bad for the vendors..
A bottle of Hunte’s Ketchup cost $2.29 on Amazon but cost $22.59 at Massy. So,, tell me again why internet sales is affecting local businesses? If that is not a case of greedy profits and exorbitant pricing then I do not know what is
This is the age of technology…everyone is looking to spend less for more. In addition folk don’t have to travel like they did in the past. They can save the airfare and use the very funds to purchase online as it is just a click away not only in St. Lucia but all over the world. In addition who wants to deal with sales persons who lack proper customer interactive skills.
I remember visiting St. Lucia many years ago and my sister and I went to a store ..we walked in and said hello hello as there was no one up front …the sales woman was on the phone in the back she looked at us with a dirty look (like why are you bothering me attitude) and continued talking on the phone with a choops …I told my sister let’s get out of here…with that attitude who knows what the chic will do. We left and honestly I have decided since that time to travel to other islands instead. This is only one of many unpleasant interactions in St. Lucia.
To everything there is a season …try branching out into agriculture folk. In addition, sometimes with our own disgusting behavior we put ourselves out of business. Godspeed
I love to shop and compare prices. I love to support local businesses but a line has to be drawn. The vendors at the arcade and market buy cheap goods from the Chinese and sell them at minimum 300% of the cost price. They lack the creativity to sell an authentic st. Lucian product which is sad. They all have the same goods and lie to ppl saying that they made them. They also buy from a distributor from South America. All these goods are not produced in st. Lucia. So if people are driven to buy at affordable rates online to keep to their meager earnings whilst gaining value for money why should they be bashed. The government should then encourage and support more local production, likewise private sector producers. There are also things that are not available on island. I remember the days of JQ’s where you could buy just about everything you needed, now the variety is so minimal that I can’t get what I need to produce crafts and do projects without shopping online. Simple things like food coloring are scarce. I could go on and on with the deficiencies of our shopping difficulties even for simple items. We cannot be subject to buying overly priced items and groceries when our buying power is next to nothing for the average citizen. I will continue to shop online.
Too much tax, I see you inland revenue. Tax for politicians taking loans and doing nothing useful. Fed up with this mess
Reduce on import duties for businesses!!!
Government could promote Dcash for local online purchasing,
Mr Pierre, we the people of St. Lucia like others across the world must allow the right to choice. The Internet is not the issue it is for small businesses to adapt and join the digital world to compete.
You jr Prime Minister sees it fit exercise that right to choice when you and family flew to Miami to do your annual health checks. Why did you not do it here in St. Lucia?
There is no competing with Temu and Shien and their dirt cheap merchandise. You get what you pay for because SOME of these cheap items are horrible and look very very cheap indeed.
With all due respect if the prime minister travels for his health assessment I am in totally agreement.
Reason: I am currently employed in healthcare and unlike St. Lucia we have regulatory agencies which governs all patients rights to privacy. In addition, we have HIPPA laws and unless you are directly involved in the individual care/plan of treatment of an individual you CANNOT under any circumstances access their record. In addition, you are NOT to speak on or share any patient information except with other healthcare professionals involved in that patients care…
Non compliance will result in your immediate termination and in addition you can also be sued. Unlike St. Lucia where anything goes and invasion of privacy is the norm.
This is an issue the government should not take up. What are ypu going to do, place more taxes on the layman ordering online, to protect a vendor who is buying the same thing let’s say for USD$10 and sell it for XCD$90. So that’s not abuse? The vendors have not moved with the times and if you cannot evolve you’ll be left behind.