With Christmas less than two weeks away, it's prime shopping season across the country and Prince George is no exception.
Retailers around the city are reporting that this year's shopping rush is on par with previous years and optimistic that sales will be on the rise.
A number of retailers at the Pine Centre mall are reporting an increase in sales, said marketing manager Sandra Raymont.
"Over the last several years we have seen increases in sales and traffic for our retailers and we hope with the improving economy we can keep stores open, people working and customers supplied with what they want and need living in Northern B.C.," Raymont said.
Since Nov. 24, the mall has been operating on hours extended by 25 per cent and has also brought in special features such as Santa Claus (who will be available to hear requests until 3 p.m. on Dec. 24) and seasonal retailers.
"We have actually received a number of comments from customers that our Centre Court snow globe display is more inviting than other mall's displays in western Canada. We have small choirs and groups come into the Centre to help create a holiday atmosphere," added Raymont.
Northern Hardware has also extended their shopping hours, with the store open until 8 p.m. and until 9 p.m. next week, but the evenings are still a slower time according to co-owner Blair Moffat.
"But traditionally that's the case because the hours will will be spread open over such a long period of time now. And there's lots of shopping hours, there's lots of stores to go to," Moffat said.
However, the general trend at the 3rd Avenue store is that sales are steady and the number of items purchased in one sale have increased.
"We're quite content as we go along so we're looking forward to another good season," he said.
According to a survey conducted by the Prince George Chamber of Commerce last month, a good season is likely in the cards for many retailers.
"Overall, when you look at it from a bird's eye view, the news was fairly good. Things are definitely showing an increase over the last few years," said chamber chief executive officer Jennifer Brandle-McCall.
An interesting find was that high-end retailers, were faring better than those who specialized in less expensive wares.
"I asked for their theories on it and they felt that because there had been a decrease in consumption in sales in previous years, that people were waiting for quite a number of years before they really invested in those luxury items. And now that they were feeling a little bit more positively about the economy that they were now making those investments where they had held off for a number of years, not doing so," Brandle-McCall said.
Holding off on jumping into big-ticket purchases is a common trend when it comes to the more technological gifts, said Kevin Lalonde, department sales manager at Future Shop.
Sales of items such as 3-D televisions are really picking up as the technology becomes more trusted and more accessible than when it was first introduced.
"Caution has definitely given way to excitement," Lalonde said. "There's more content, more movies, more games."
Although electronics are encroaching on traditional territory, books are still a player on the lo-fi end of the gift scale, said Coles manager-on-duty Adam Cullum.
"I still see a lot of people that tell me they like a physical book in their hand," he said. "Everything from the smell of it for some people, to just having that substance in your hand. It's different from when you're pretty much reading off a computer screen."
