Fast forward to March 17, however, being able to “flip on the online store” became a core part of staying in business just as Atleo decided to physically close the doors to walk-in traffic at Iron Dog and the festivals and events its truck relies on began falling by the wayside.
Retail stores were never ordered closed in B.C., but the Retail Council of Canada estimates half of the province’s “non-essential” merchants closed their doors anyways as businesses issued work-from-home policies and residents were encouraged to self isolate.Article content continued On a national basis, ecommerce sales increased 120 per cent in April, compared with the same month a year ago, accounting for 9.5 per cent of total retail sales in April, the highest amount ever.
“B.C. is actually fairly unique because a lot of stuff could remain open,” Wilson said, and those stores that remained open helped create the COVID-19 safety measures being implemented by public health and WorkSafeBC in Phase 2 of the province’s business restart plan.Article content continued For stores that remained open during the pandemic, the challenges have come in waves, said Clint Mahlman, president and chief operating officer at London Drugs.