Christmas shopper numbers in line with last year
SPSL revises forecast downwards after slow start to sales
December shopper numbers are more or less balanced against last year’s total, according to SPSL’s Retail Traffic Index.
Shopper numbers for Christmas week, starting Sunday December 19, were actually 1 per cent higher than the same week last year and 1.6 per cent greater than the previous week, despite a quieter Christmas Eve.
Dr Tim Denison, director of knowledge management at SPSL, said “Though there was no Saturday trading, Christmas week was the busiest week of the year so far, providing welcome news to retailers around the country.
“The long-awaited acceleration came during the middle of the week, with two extra trading days before Christmas compared to last year. These figures will be well received, though it is unlikely that they will repair all of the damage caused by a quiet start to December.
“It does help vindicate many retailers’ decision to ‘hold the line’ and resist going to sale early, as margins on all but sell-through lines will have been preserved right through to Christmas.
Post-Christmas trading started quietly yesterday, Boxing Day. Despite more shops being open on December 26 this year, the numbers of shoppers were 16.1 per cent fewer than last year.
Denison said “The fall is not as bad as it sounds. With Christmas and Boxing Day spanning a weekend this year, many people took a break from shopping altogether, preferring to wait until the two bank holiday
weekdays before hitting the high street. The fact that some retailers have chosen not to start their sale until today, Monday 27, has also had a significant bearing.
“Typically, those who take the trouble to suffer the ignominy of scrumaging on day one of the sales, want to know that their efforts will be worthwhile, with all the stores that they want to visit open and on sale. The fact that some stores weren’t, yesterday, will have dissuaded some shoppers from going at all, preferring to delay their trips until today.”
In light of these mixed results, SPSL has revised its December footfall forecast downwards from -0.3 per cent to -1.8 per cent.
