Slow start to Christmas shopping
Traffic down across key November weekend
December 1 2003
Shopper numbers across the UK over the last weekend in November were down by more 5 per cent on the same weekend last year, according to figures released by shopper traffic analyst FootFall.
David Smyth, marketing manager at FootFall said: “Our figures show that shopper numbers for November as a whole were around 4 per cen down on the same month last year, in line with the trend we have seen over the last two years.
“But more importantly, last weekend, which comes after the last pay cheque arrived before Christmas, was over 5 per cent down on the same weekend last year.
“It is worrying as this is traditionally a very important Christmas shopping weekend for retailers. Signs are that consumers are again putting off their decision to purchase presents until later in December in the hope that prices might be cut.
“The recent run of bad weather plus the fact that many clothing retailers are overstocked due to the late start of the winter season – again for weather reasons – have all had an impact on the retail landscape.
“On a more microeconomic level, shopping in central London has had its own share of issues to contend with. The visit by Bush hit footfall levels, and hence sales, very badly with shopper numbers down over 19 per cent that week compared to the same week last year and a 12 per cent downward trend week-on-week.
“This came at a time when indices for the London region and the UK as a whole showed a positive week-on-week trend.
“With only three full weeks to go until Christmas it will be interesting to see how many retailers resist the temptation to follow the lead of some other retailers who have chosen to start their sales earlier than normal this year. It will be a brave decision to rest so much of a retailer’s business on post Christmas activities if pre-Christmas sales levels do not live up to expectations.”
