Chamber Of Commerce Leader Predicts ‘Robust’ Holiday Shopping For C-U
On Black Friday 2017, shoppers look for bargains at Market Place Shopping Center, an indoor shopping mall in Champaign.. Jim Meadows/Illinois Public Media
With the coming of Black Friday, the head of the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce is expecting a robust holiday shopping season.
Laura Weiss is the President and CEO of the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce. She expects local holiday shopping sales to be up as much as four-percent over last year.
“The challenge will be and continues to be combating online shopping,” said Weiss.
Weiss says the key to getting people to visit local stores is to provide them with an experience.
“And make their stores more of a destination so that I’m having an experience when I’m coming into the store as opposed to just fighting the crowds and fighting the traffic,” continued Weiss.
To that end, Weiss says merchants are hiring extra seasonal help to assist shoppers.
Weiss encourages people to shop local for the holidays and year round to help support jobs in the community.