The following is an article “The Pros And Cons Of Closing Shop On Sundays” by Marc Primo.
In today’s competitive economy, closing up shop on Sundays may not be as convenient as it was decades ago.
The United Kingdom has a rich history of debate that focused on the economy of Sunday trading and for a long time was divided on the matter. So big was the issue that a move to decentralize authority in the issuance of permits to local governments was heavily argued back in 2015. Today, UK shops that are over 280 square meters can only operate from 10 in the morning until six in the evening on Sundays.
If you are a shop owner (whether large or small), who is thinking of devoting Sundays for anything other than business, then you might want to weigh the good versus the bad first before coming to a decision. That is if your country allows you to.
European countries like Germany, Poland, Italy, and Belgium have already passed legislations on the closing of major shops every last day of the week. The two main reasons that resonate the most are the unfavorable effects of Sunday trading to families, and how the religious wish to preserve the sanctity of the day.
Your shop’s location can somehow help you decide. If your store is in a predominantly Christian locality, then skipping business operations on Sundays might be the better idea. By this, you also get to spend more time for yourself or your family. Losing profit when halting Sunday operations have also been argued as a myth because customers have the option to offset shopping for goods during the weekdays instead. There is also the offshoot of lesser costs on wages and utility bills, not to mention the extra rest or leisure time you get for the day off.
However, you must also be able to foreshadow any challenges that might arise with any big decision. Stakeholders may argue that closing on Sundays may disrupt the usual economy of trading which could lead to lesser productivity and patronage as people are more inclined to shop on Sundays when there is usually no work.
The possibility of losing profits cannot be discounted as the day is also usually spent with families and when most festivals and special events are held. It is not really difficult to see how opening your store on Sundays can spell larger foot traffic that could generate a more handsome yield for you.
But now that we’ve laid out the pros and cons, it’s time for you to review your books and start looking for red flags. Will closing on Sundays adversely affect your supply chain, patronage, and profit?
It would definitely help to consider shopping patterns, staff work schedules, and quality time for the family as making sure that your business strategy works for everyone involved makes for a good investment all the time.
Whatever your decision is, spending time to thoroughly review your options is always the first step. In the end, the bottom line comes to any of the two things which rewards you the most: do you need the extra quality time for family and leisure, or will you allow yourself more opportunities to grow your profit?
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