John Lewis sales edge up 0.4% last week
John Lewis increased its sales by just 0.4% year-on-year last week as the unseasonably warm weather impacted sales of winter ranges.
Looking at the directorates, home achieved the best increase with sales up 4.3% on last year. Furniture continued to put in a strong performance with sales rising by 14%. Beds and bedroom furniture performed particularly well with sales up 23%.
Fashion sales rose by 0.4% on last year despite the unseasonably warm weather, with lightweight clothing such as blazers proving popular.
Meanwhile, electrical and home technology sales dropped by 3.2%, due to strong comparatives with the same week last year due to the latest iPad launch. However, there was strong performance from large electricals, up 9%, and audio and gaming, up 7%.
Never Miss a Retail Update!In the stores where sales rose during the week, the Exeter and Ipswich shops achieved the biggest percentage increases at 21.9% and 14.1% respectively.
Online sales rose by 8.7%.
Christine Kasoulis, buying director for home at John Lewis, said: “With Britain experiencing its warmest Halloween on record, it is no surprise that this impacted sales of winter products. As we move further into November and the weather inevitably turns colder, the demand for winter products will increase.”
