Fashion retailers not optimistic as winter sales get under way
The annual winter sales got under way on Friday morning. However, expectations among clothing retailers are modest to say the least. Those that run High Street retail outlets that sell clothing expect sales to be down 2.4% compared with last year’s winter sales. The figures come from a questionnaire by the independent retailers’ federation NSZ. The retailers hope for a spell of real winter weather to get us all flocking to the shops to buy new winter clothing.
Around 67% of the retailers questioned expect sales figures during the winter sales to be at the same level as during the winter sales in January 2019. However, 28% believe that sales figure will be down on January 2019.
Meanwhile, 43% of fashion retailers say that they have sold less during the current winter season than was the case last year. 35% say that their sales figures have remained stable and 22% say that they have sold more.
Like last year the relatively warm autumn and the (near) complete lack of any real winter weather so far is having an adverse effect on sales. More than half of the clothing retailers questioned say that they have changed their stock purchasing policy to take account of this. Consequently they will have less stock to put into the sales.