Ads drive Douglas sales despite slow traffic

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Two months after the store's launch, Douglas Crossing Duty Free president Michael Beler is confident it will reach its sales potential within months

The store opened in a temporary outlet on November 13 last year. Said Beler: ?We did no advertising until December, which gave us some time to fully test our systems. But once the campaign started, sales picked up noticeably. We started with a basic range of product including liquor, tobacco, fragrances, confectionery and some Canadiana. In the next few weeks, we will be increasing the width of the assortment.?

Beler anticipated that the outlet would reach its sales potential in the next few months, although traffic through the crossing has been slower than expected. He said he was encouraged by travellers' reaction to the shop and that the retailer would focus on capturing a larger share of passengers and growing spend in the store to make the most of the available traffic.