MOSCOW, December 22. / TASS /. Retailers have provided measures to reduce queues in stores and shopping centers before the New Year amid the pandemic, the Association of Retail Companies (AKORT), M. Video-Eldorado group and Detsky Mir told TASS.
"This year, retail chains have extended their New Year promotions and special offers throughout December, and from the beginning of the month you can purchase goods for these promotions without the usual New Year queues. It is better not to postpone the purchase of New Year's gifts and products for the New Year's table and do it in advance, planning a trip to store so as to avoid a large crowd of people. If possible, you can order goods and home delivery. This applies to both non-food products and groceries. All major retail chains work with convenient delivery, and many retailers also offer express delivery from the nearest stores ", - noted in AKORT.
The association emphasized that the list of measures prescribed by Rosprotrebnadzor and taken by the chains covers all aspects of the activities of retail chains and helps to ensure the safety of buyers.
How retailers prepared
As the largest retailer of electronics and household appliances, the M. Video-Eldorado group, told TASS, the retailer has developed and implemented a number of additional measures in addition to those already in force in accordance with the recommendations of Rospotrebnadzor, to minimize queues in stores and safe New Year's purchases, since smartphones, smart devices and another technique is the traditionally popular New Year's gifts.
M. Video and Eldorado extend the working hours of both stand-alone stores and stores in shopping centers - additional morning or evening hours will be added, depending on needs, some stores in Moscow and St. Petersburg are open around the clock. Additional cash desks are open in all chain stores during peak hours. The 250 largest M. Video and Eldorado stores operate additional contactless payment terminals in the trading floor, "the company said. The retailer also extended promotions to avoid the excitement and introduced payment and scanning of price tags using a QR code to avoid queues at stores.
The stores of the Detsky Mir chain "are ready for a large influx of customers during the New Year holidays," the company said.
"Measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection are being observed in all the company's retail facilities: the health of all personnel is monitored, personal protective equipment for employees (masks, gloves, antiseptics) have been purchased, special markings have been applied to maintain social distance, enhanced disinfection is carried out in all premises, on antiseptics for visitors are located at the entrance to the stores. In addition, for the convenience of our customers, we offer various methods of receiving online orders. For example, we have a super-express delivery service from stores, which guarantees receipt of an order within two hours. The service is already available at 250 cities of Russia ", - said the retailer.