Before Christmas, there were fears that owners of restaurants and gift shops would have been negatively affected during what is considered to be the busiest season for them due to the period of economic difficulty that has gripped the world, and consequently Malta.

There were calls from all quarters for the government to review its stand on the water and electricity rates, and at least the correct decision was taken to postpone the sending out of the bills until after the festivities. Had they been sent before, there was the risk that people would have spent much less on their Christmas activities.

Of course, now that the bills are being sent and people are finally coming face to face with the consequences of the government’s decision, some are perhaps regretting having spent so much on that new coat or that Christmas lunch.

But, at the end of the day, it was important that the economic wheel was kept turning as much as possible during December. Otherwise, the problems would have been further exacerbated.

As it happened, generally speaking, the Maltese did celebrate Christmas and the New Year very much in the same way as they have done in the past. Most restaurants were full or nearly full for Christmas and New Year lunches, and people still bought gifts for their beloved ones, especially their children.

Some might have spent a bit less than they normally do, but on the whole there were no widespread complaints from businessmen that the Christmas season was a poor one. There are certainly some who wished it could have been better or reported lower sales than last year, but this is not because people chose not to spend – they probably did so elsewhere.

Maybe next time these businessmen should have a better display or offer more competitive prices and a wider menu, and the people will come back.

The sales that started soon after Christmas were quite popular too, with people queuing up in the cold before they could enter certain shops, such was the amount of people that was already inside the premises.

In reviewing the Christmas season’s business, one must keep in mind that today there are many people who prefer to give monetary gifts – either because they have no time to go shopping or else they think that money is the safest way to please a person who can then buy whatever he or she likes with it.

Also, many are using the internet to buy their gifts or anything else they need. This was, in fact, the main “complaint” that was made by the Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises – “the upward trend in online shopping affects us quite badly because of increased competition”, director general Vince Farrugia told this

newspaper.

This means that people are looking for better bargains and are doing their best to save money on items they can buy. Certain products that are bought over the internet can cost up to 50 per cent less than if they are bought from a local shop, and this is pushing computer-friendly people to do most of their shopping while sitting in the comfort of their home.

This phenomenon – which is not only happening in Malta – is changing the face of how business is done, and no doubt Maltese shop owners must do their utmost to keep their prices as competitive as possible (and their after sales services as efficient as possible) in order to survive. The number of people who are buying products via computer is on the rise, and is expected to continue increasing as more people learn the know-how and remove fears of being conned.

One suggestion for local shops would be to start offering online services. Some supermarkets are already providing this to their clients. The GRTU is saying that bureaucracy is delaying a scheme intended to encourage businessmen to offer products online but, on the other hand, why should businessmen always wait for the government to do something?