Catherine DoyleBBC News NI
BBC
Libis McAllister says businesses have to build up rapport with customers to “fight the big guys off”
If you head to Ballymena on Thursday, you’ll see the entire town come together to battle online giants like Amazon with their discount day.
The County Antrim town will be full of bargains, live music and entertainment for 12 hours straight.
Ballymena Discount Day, which takes place on the first Thursday of November every year, sees bustling high streets, with more than 80 businesses offering promotions, and you might even bag some free goodies.
One general manager described the event as a “special” day when the local shops take “on the big guns” by getting customers in.
‘Fifty-three years and we’re still here’
Aidan Clifford, from Sam’s of Ballymena, said Thursday is about getting people to come in and support the “bricks and mortar of retail in the high street”.
“The products and the stuff that sell in here tomorrow will be under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning.”
It’s “12 hours of madness,” Mr Clifford said, adding: “My doors aren’t going to close until the till stops ringing.”
Retail manager Aidan Clifford says it’s important to support “bricks and mortar of retail”
Mr Clifford said it’s important to shop at local independent stores.
“It’s the younger generation that don’t shop in store, they don’t come in, they just click, click, click, that’s okay,” he said.
“The only word of advice I would say to the younger generation is if you want to shop online, shop local.
“You can say the high street is dead, but look at us, 53 years and we’re still here.”
‘Fight the big guys off’
Libis McAllister is the owner of Ultimate in Fashion, a bespoke ladies fashion boutique.
She said Thursday is “our equivalent to Black Friday”.
Black Friday is when shops and retailers put down some of their prices temporarily to encourage shoppers to buy more products and takes place on the fourth Friday of November.
“Ballymena is full of small independent retailers, and our discount day is our way of fighting back, of showing people that our discount is a genuine discount,” Libis said.
She said that as a small independent retailer it’s important not to get scared or “get put off” by large multinational companies.
“Look after your own customers and your customers will look after you,” she said.
She said Black Friday can turn into “grey Thursday” and “an even blacker Saturday because a lot of the big guys just really milk it and do too much”.
But she said Ballymena’s day is “completely genuine”.
“Prices aren’t inflated to come down as some of the big boys allegedly do,” she said.
Libis store has been open for 43 years and she said her secret is building a rapport with customers.
“I think that’s the way to survive the high street nowadays and fight the big guys off”.
‘Our version of Black Friday’
Rachel Connor, from Fred Funk, says having the discount day in early November means they “get to capture” Black Friday first
Rachel Connor, from the footwear shop Fred Funk, called Thursday “a good day out for everyone” and “our version of Black Friday”.
Rachel said Ballymena Discount Day is “something that brings people to our town, because a lot of people do tend to shop online”.
She said having it in early November means they “get to capture” Black Friday first.
“We do it first then obviously everybody’s spending their money with us in Ballymena rather than going online and shopping with the bigger giants,” she said.
“It really means a lot to the town, because it’s a lot of business, people come from far and near to our shop.”
‘Unique to Ballymena’
Thomas McKillen from McKillens of Ballymena, says the day “gives you a feel good factor”
Thomas McKillen is the managing director of McKillens of Ballymena. He also helps run Ballymena Business Improvement District, which organises the discount day.
He said Thursday is “unique to Ballymena” and “a brilliant day’s trading”.
“In today’s world where the high street has been getting a pounding over the years, it just means that we do two weeks business in one day,” he said.
“We all hear about online shopping and it’s there; we all use it; we have it ourselves. It’s not going away, but there’s something about interacting with people.
“It’s still very much a Northern Ireland thing, a rural market town like Ballymena thing.”
His family business has been open since 1926. He said Thursday helps get customers to choose Ballymena over larger platforms like Amazon.
“All that we’re doing these days is battling, those are the things that are part of our world.
“It’s not that they’re a problem in a sense, but we have to be aware of them, and encourage people to get out of your house and come on to the high street and enjoy the buzz.”
He said as well as the sales, there’s live music and entertainment and “it just gives you a feel good factor”.
