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(CNN) – Some shopping malls and retailers are reopening their doors in states that facilitate coronavirus home stay measures.
Now comes the hard part: persuading cautious Americans that it is safe to buy, especially under unusual restrictions.
This week, shopping mall giant Simon Property Group said it will reopen 49 shopping centers, but will block play areas and stroller stations. Macy’s will reopen 68 stores, but customers cannot try on dress shirts.
At Best Buy, customers will need to schedule an appointment at the 200 stores they are reopening, but they must stay six feet away from sales associates. And if a buyer wants to test a device at the store, a Best Buy employee must clean it first.
Companies are trying to strike a delicate balance between underpinning their stagnant businesses and implementing policies that protect their buyers. Retailers are responding to mixed signals from public officials about the virus threat and a polarizing debate across the country about how and when to reopen the U.S. economy.
They are also trying to revive the drop in sales. Retail sales fell 8.7 percent in March, the worst monthly decline on record.
Each major chain is taking a different approach, and some national outlets like Nordstrom and Gap remain closed, indicating the deep divide between major retailers on how to get out of the crisis.
Fear of contracting the virus in public areas and limits for testing in the United States are barriers for Americans to feel comfortable returning to stores, say public health experts and retailers. More than 60,000 Americans have died from the virus, and testing in the United States remains low.
“People are scared and most believe it is too early for many nonessential stores to reopen. An open store does not mean it will have buyers,” said Matthew Freeman, associate professor of environmental health and epidemiology at Emory University.
Cowen’s research surveys published last week found a “general lack of confidence among consumers to return to the key commercial industries,” including retail. Nearly 50% of shoppers plan to buy clothes in stores after the coronavirus, but say they will avoid changing rooms, according to Jefferies surveys.
Joe Bell, a spokesman for the owner of Cafaro Mall, which reopened Governor’s Square Mall in Clarksville, Tennessee on Wednesday, acknowledged that some customers will choose to stay away from the mall for fear of contracting the virus.
“There is a segment of the population that has been quite scared,” he said. “They will stay home and continue to worry about contracting the virus.”
Shopping malls will look drastically different
Despite the uncertainty, shopping malls like Governor’s Square and retailers are moving forward with the reopening. “There is a lot of pent-up demand,” Bell said of the clients. “People are going crazy.”
One of the most important news this week came from Simon, the largest operator of shopping centers in this country. His plan to reopen 49 shopping malls and retail centers in 10 states by May 4 may influence the reopening of smaller owners.
However, Simon’s shopping malls will look dramatically different. It will provide CDC-approved masks and packs of individual sanitizing wipes at no charge to buyers upon request, and will provide temperature controls using infrared thermometers. It will take the temperatures of your employees and contractors, require them to wear masks, and limit customers to one person for every 50 square feet.
There will be social distancing markers throughout the mall. Seating in the food court will be limited. Reusable trays or cutlery will not be used. In the bathrooms, all other sinks and urinals will be taped.
Still, some public health and retail analysts say the security measures that Simon and other shopping malls have described don’t go far enough.
Peter Raynor, professor of environmental health studies at the University of Minnesota, said Simon’s plan to limit occupancy to one person for every 50 square feet of floor space “appears to be too many people.”
“It would be difficult to maintain your physical distance at that density,” he said.
Even public officials in Indianapolis, where Simon is based, have expressed concern over his plans.
“Opening a large retail establishment would only drastically increase our numbers, put other citizens at risk considerably, and could undo all the good work we have put in place regarding our shelter-in-place philosophy and stay home,” said Dr. Virginia Caine, director of the Marion County Department of Public Health, at the Indianapolis Star.
Buy by appointment
Retailers moving ahead with the reopens aren’t entirely sure what to expect from shoppers.
“Retailers are preparing for new processes, consumer behaviors, and legal requirements or restrictions, where there previously was no playbook,” the National Federation of Retailers, an industry group, said in a letter to the Trump administration. this week.
Macy’s will limit the number of customers allowed within the 68 stores that are reopening and installing signs and social distance markers. Customers should use hand sanitizer before trying on jewelry or watches. Macy’s has discontinued ear piercings, bra accessories, and tailoring services.
“We are creating an environment that enables our clients and colleagues to shop and work safely, confidently, and peace of mind,” Macy’s said in a presentation Thursday. The company expects to have more than 500 stores open in mid-June.
JCPenney, which is bankrupt, reopened seven stores on Thursday. More than a dozen stores are also open for sidewalk pickup.
On Thursday, Tapestry, the parent company of Coach and Kate Spade, said it will reopen approximately 40 stores in North America with just contactless pickup on the sidewalk.
However, not all major chains are reopening, even in places where local or state leaders have lifted restrictions. Kohl’s, Nordstrom, Gap, TJX, Bed Bath & Beyond and others are sitting for now. They say they are awaiting further instructions from government officials.
“It is a very fluid situation, so it is too early to give precise times for full reopens,” said a representative from Bed Bath & Beyond. “We will continue to take the guidance of government and public health officials and build on the security measures we have in place” for home delivery.
This story was first published on CNN.com, “Malls and retail stores are reopening. But shoppers can’t come back.”
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