Trading Hours

[Omicron]

Why do we need entire supermarkets to do the job that far smaller businesses do already?

[AtD]

Choice and price.

[monotonehell]

Choice and price.

Being open more hours = more cost = dearer prices. You can't have it both ways.

[AtD]

Being open more hours = more cost = dearer prices. You can't have it both ways.

Oh but you can! Your local Woolworths have staff working nearly 24 hours a day some nights anyway. Nightfil often stays back until 2am on big nights, and bakehouse and produce can start at 4am, so all that is needed is one or two staff to man a checkout. One thing Woolies wants to do is encourage us to shop outside their 'peak' times, because staffing costs are lower then. It's cheaper to keep one pimple faced youth back three hours a shift than it is to hire a new one.

As I said, go to any large metro supermarket at 4.55pm on a Saturday. It all makes sense then.

[Ho Really]

...As I said, go to any large metro supermarket at 4.55pm on a Saturday. It all makes sense then.

The last hour or so is when bread and meats (and some veggies) are discounted...

Cheers

[monotonehell]

Being open more hours = more cost = dearer prices. You can't have it both ways.

Oh but you can! Your local Woolworths have staff working nearly 24 hours a day some nights anyway. Nightfil often stays back until 2am on big nights, and bakehouse and produce can start at 4am, so all that is needed is one or two staff to man a checkout. One thing Woolies wants to do is encourage us to shop outside their 'peak' times, because staffing costs are lower then. It's cheaper to keep one pimple faced youth back three hours a shift than it is to hire a new one.

Nightfill stay back after hours so they can get some work done with out customers pestering them all the time (I worked nightfill in Woolies in high school)
Bakery start at 4am so they can get the baked goods ready before the customers come in the morning.
Many supermarkets jumped at the opportunity and tried what you suggest when the hours were deregulated back a few years ago. They'd put on two staff and turn out half the lights to save some money on overheads. The vast majority of them have since cut back the 'open almost all the hours God sends' to 6am to 9pm. There just wasn't enough demand to pay for the costs of opening extra hours. Opening to 9pm is worth it because a lot of people work long hours and get home later than in previous decades. The funny thing is, even though most supermarkets are open to 9 every week night, the busiest night is still Thursday.

I'm not against deregulation, I'm just trying to get you guys to wake up to the fact that the experiments have been done, and the results dictated what hours supermarkets decide to open more so than the legislation (which is ostensibly wide open these days).

As I said, go to any large metro supermarket at 4.55pm on a Saturday. It all makes sense then.

That's more human nature than demand, people often leave everything to the last moment. If it were open until 6pm you'd see the same last moment rush then.

[Aidan]

I'm not against deregulation, I'm just trying to get you guys to wake up to the fact that the experiments have been done, and the results dictated what hours supermarkets decide to open more so than the legislation (which is ostensibly wide open these days).

But do the supermarkets close as soon as 9pm anywhere where the shopping hours are totally deregulated?

And does anyone not see a huge advantage in allowing shops like the Coles in the CBD (currently open from midnight till 9pm) to stay open an extra three hours?

The shops are already open so long that the old reason for regulation (to protect their smaller competitors) no longer applies, so why are they still regulated?

[AtD]

Well in the ACT every supermarket is open until at least midnight, 7 days a week. And Canberra is very much a 9-5 town with no industry and few shift workers.

[Jim]

Trading hours for supermarkets are one thing, if you can’t buy your groceries in the current hours you are just no good at managing your time. The CBD is anther issue altogether. Anything that will keep the CBD alive and active and offers something the burbs can’t should be considered. It’s a shame that the real weekend family shopping like furniture, whitegoods and hardware has been lost to the CBD.

[Wayno]

The Central Market trading hours are being extended!

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/stor ... 01,00.html

ADELAIDE'S Central Market will extend trading hours on Tuesday and Thursday nights to cater for an increasing number of city residents and workers.

The city council has endorsed extending closing times on both days from 5.30pm to 7pm and traders are expected to start the new hours in September. If the move is successful, it is also likely traders will vote in favour of whole market trading on Wednesdays.

Adelaide Central Market Committee presiding member Bill Zaharis yesterday told The Advertiser the market had failed to increase visitor numbers over the past 10 years, which was a trend that had to be reversed.

Latest figures show the market has around 8.5 million visitors each year, spending more than $432 million. "Over the last decade, the numbers have shown a slight decline in the vicinity of 1 to 2 per cent per annum," Mr Zaharis said.

"An issue for me is that in the past three to five years we have seen substantial growth in the number of city workers and population of around 8 to 9 per cent but, in terms of visitor numbers, they have stagnated. "We have to try and capture that new market of an increasing number of people living and working in the city."

Mr Zaharis was confident extended trading on Tuesday and Thursday would be successful despite last year's failure of Sunday trading. "When Sunday trading (became an option), there was no consultation between stallholders and council.

"It was just imposed upon them and when you bump heads you are never going to come to an agreement," he said.

"This time we have learnt from the last council's mistakes and we will have a proper spring launch, probably in September."

Mr Zaharis said Tuesdays and Thursdays were the main focus, but if it proved fruitful, traders were likely to "look at how we can make Wednesdays work".

Danielle Casagrande, from Coco's fruit and veg stall, said extended trading would help business. "I think we'll definitely notice more people coming through because it's been pretty quiet the past few years," she said.

[Omicron]

That's marvellous news. My American counterparts are always envious of the notion of a fresh food market right in the middle of the CBD.

[Wayno]

I'm in two minds here. i'd love to be able to go to the Central Markets anytime, but part of its appeal are the stalls run by quaint little family businesses. These families can't necessarily scale their operations - being open every day means stocking shelves overnight - and few people desire that sort of worklife.

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/stor ... 36,00.html

Don't stall on extending market hours

THE PLAN to extend trading hours at the Adelaide Central Market from 5.30pm to 7pm on Tuesdays and Thursday is a logical step.

The city population is increasing and the traditional working day is no longer book-ended between 9am and 5pm. But while the extended hours are welcome, they don't go far enough.

Adelaide underestimates the value of the Central Market. It is more than a bustling shopping auditorium crammed with relatively cheap culinary delights. It has a reputation extending into country regions and beyond South Australia's borders. It has a unique position in the heart of the city.

The rowdy and cosmopolitan atmosphere is a reminder of the pre-supermarket era. These combine to make the market a genuine tourist attraction.

Yet it does not open on Mondays, Wednesdays, Sundays or Saturday afternoons. This causes confusion, even among locals, and disappointment when Adelaide visitors discover the market is shut.

The market is a magnet for people in the Gouger St restaurant precinct. If it opened six days a week – with the possible exception of Mondays – trade in Gouger St would increase.

It would become a more viable and consistent entertainment region, attracting not only visitors but people from the burgeoning city office and residential areas.

In advocating increased market trading days, two difficulties must be acknowledged.

Many of the market stalls and shops are small family businesses. Owner-operators would have to work longer hours or find alternative staff.

The high quality of produce offered at the market must not be jeopardised.

Stallholders often restock on Mondays and Wednesdays and this can necessitate significant travel and time.

These difficulties cannot be ignored but, equally, they are not insurmountable.

For the continued viability, growth and energy of central Adelaide, they should be confronted and the market should be made more accessible to more people more often.

[Jim]

Every city has its supermarkets and if they are open any more than the current hours won’t make a better city. In fact the more hours the burb’s are open the more the CBD dies.

[jk1237]

I'm in two minds here. i'd love to be able to go to the Central Markets anytime, but part of its appeal are the stalls run by quaint little family businesses. These families can't necessarily scale their operations - being open every day means stocking shelves overnight - and few people desire that sort of worklife.

I disagree. Many other family owned business operate most days of the week, like local deli's, newsagents, hairdressers, so it would be in their best interests to open Wed aswell, to encourage more people. I dislike the markets not being open on a Wed

What I reckon caused a downturn in Central market goers in last few years, was while they were building the bus station and new car park. It caused that ground surface carpark to be closed down, which meant everyone was forced to use the Market carpark, which caused huge lineups and congestion down Grote and Gouger Streets, as it was full. I think this lack of parking turned many people away, so I hope they come back. Goodness knows, some of these people may even learn to walk, ride or take PT, but thats stretching it

I love the Central markets. Prob my favourite part of the city, so Id love to see it open fully on Wednesdays

[Wayno]

I disagree. Many other family owned business operate most days of the week, like local deli's, newsagents, hairdressers, so it would be in their best interests to open Wed aswell, to encourage more people. I dislike the markets not being open on a Wed

How do you know what their best interests are? chatted with them all, have you?

I love the Central markets. Prob my favourite part of the city, so Id love to see it open fully on Wednesdays

Agree, but again i'm in two minds...