John Lewis weekly sales up 11.5%
John Lewis said the changeable weather last week failed to dampen trade as the department store chain recorded an 11.5% increase in sales on the same week last year.
The retailer said more than half its branches reported sales rises with Poole topping the table at 29.3%, followed by Croydon at 22.1% and Tunbridge Wells at 20.3%. Online sales at Johnlewis.com achieved an uplift of 38.4% on last year.
Of the directorates, Electricals and Home Technology lead the way with a 34% increase on the same week last year driven by strong sales of telecoms, CE accessories and televisions.
The Home directorate saw an 8.7% increase on last year as home accessories and gifts delivered a strong performance with an 18.3% increase in sales. Sales of gift seasonal foods were up 42.9% while sales of the retailer’s home and gift collections rose 29.4% driven by the continued popularity of its Jubilee assortment.
Never Miss a Retail Update!Fashion sales were up 1% in the week and were influenced by the changeable weather. However, women’s handbags performed well with a 14.1% uplift, as did men’s accessories where sales were up 9.2% driven by Father’s Day. Sales of childrenswear increased by 7.8%.
David Barford, director, selling operations, John Lewis commented: “As we move into this week, our Clearance in both shops and online should provide a compelling offer for our customers.”
