John Lewis reports strongest week of its second half as sales rise by 8.4%
Sales at John Lewis rose by 8.4% year-on-year last week to give the retailer its biggest sterling week to date in the second half of its financial year.
In addition, sales advanced more than 5% on the previous week, which was twice the rate of acceleration seen at the same time last year, as the retailer prepared to enter its crucial final trading quarter.
Electricals and home technology sales surged by over 19%, boosted by the retailer’s two year guarantee offer on all products.
Fashion sales rose by 6.2% with childrenswear recording the best increase at 18% and menswear pushing double-digit growth.
Never Miss a Retail Update!In the home directorate, sales edged up by 0.9% driven by double-digit increases in lighting coupled with strong growth from gifting assortments, which John Lewis said suggested that customers were beginning to prepare their homes for Christmas earlier this year.
In the stores, the retailer’s newly refurbished High Wycombe branch achieved a 51.5% increase on the same week last year. Online sales grew by 19.3%.
Ed Connolly, buying director for EHT, John Lewis, said: “With strong like-for-like shop growth complemented by online sales up 19.3%, all in all we are very well set operationally to take advantage of the peak trade now it is beginning to filter through the doors and onto the website.”
