The impact of climate on the retail communities of Vancouver and Victoria : a dollar value assessment
Date
1972
Authors
Whitmore, Angus D'Arcy
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Abstract
The effect of climate on the various components of the retail system is difficult to trace but its cumulative effect is shown by variĀations in the sales volume. Since unexpected climatic events are most likely to bring about changes in shopping patterns, mean climates were established for Vancouver and Victoria during the period 1961-1967 as a basis for this study. Variations from these mean climates were correlated with adjusted sales figures of selected retail categories over the seven-year period using a multiple, stepwise, linear regression model. Those climatic elements registering the greatest number of sales associations were wind, precipitation and cloud cover, while those elements associated with the greatest value of monthly sales variation were temperature and sunshine. The most sensitive retail categories for both centres were found to ]?e jewellery stores, fuel dealers and motor vehicles, whereas the least sensitive were food other than groceries, general and variety stores. From the linear relationship between climate and retail sales deviations for both cities, the dollar value of a specific climatic variation from the normal was estimated for all significant climate-sales associations. A more accurate assessment of this climatic effect on the retail economy of a region will be realized only when the quality and quantity of available retail data are substantially improved. The study revealed a method for obtaining the value of a unit mea sure of climatic change to the retail economies of Vancouver and Victoria. A climatic index was devised to enable comparisons of the climatic effect on sales between cateĀgories and between cities.