Retail sales fall 0.4% in November
This morning at 07:00, the latest official retail sales was published. It showed a drop of 0.4% in November. Free PR platform, Newspage, sought the views of small independent retailers.
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11 responses from the Newspage communityCopy all
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My sales for 2022 compared to 2021 are down by 50%. Though sales increased in November, it was only because I managed to sell a lot of inventory at cost, so no profit. I also attended more in-person events, which was a boost. December has already been slower than usual and this is due to the perfect storm of postal strikes as people are concerned items won't arrive on time, the cost of living crisis, rising interest rates and also higher delivery charges and packaging increases. To top it all off, the cost of tea has increased by 40%. It's an exceptionally tough market for a small retailer right now.
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November was looking quite hopeful for me, but then sales plummeted in December, largely due to the postal strikes. Some of the parcels I sent three weeks ago with Royal Mail have yet to arrive and the postal strikes, on top of the cost of living crisis, are putting people off buying during this normally busy period. I sell high-priced niche products so Christmas isn't really a deal breaker for me as they aren't your 'typical' gift. I am hopeful that things will pick up in January. People are definitely being more conscious of where they are spending their money. However, they are also prepared to pay for high-quality products that last, and in our case those that benefit or enhance their well-being.
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I had my best month ever in November, and I've beaten last December already. I think this is because I've been doing a lot of local markets, have increased my wholesale activity and haven't relied on posting items out. My aim for 2023 is to focus on the markets that I know work, as customers need to smell my products before they buy, plus growing wholesale some more. I'm fairly confident about 2023, but don't expect many sales in January and February, which is normal for my business.
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This year, I had my best November ever. Most of these sales came from in-person events, though. People are much less confident about buying online with the constant onslaught of Royal Mail Strikes and bad weather delaying deliveries. December has been a whitewash, with only a couple of sales from customers who come back to me every year as they trust that I will do my best and understand the challenges I'm facing. I'm looking forward to more in-person events in the New Year as that's set to be a rising trend as we move on from the pandemic. I am doing a lot of work on my website with support from the Business & IP Centre but I am concerned about the slow sales. The postal strikes have pulverised SMEs as many of us rely upon the Royal Mail.
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The government's actions have had a negative impact on our business, leading to a decline in sales of over 60% in the past quarter. It is unclear what the future holds for our company and the wedding industry
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Thankfully November bucked the trend of the year and pleasantly surprised me. But I worked so hard for those sales and I don’t think customers were aware of postal delays. December has then fallen off a cliff despite offering a free book with every order and I blame the Royal Mail strikes as shoppers don’t want to take the risk of their Christmas present not arriving on time. January is feeling like it is going to bleak.
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Sales for our print and embroidery business were down by 50% in November compared to 2021, at the same time that all our overheads have been steadily increasing. Our December sales also plummeted due to the Royal Mail strikes and huge backlogs among courier services. As a result, we felt it necessary to close our online stores 10 days earlier than usual to avoid complaints and refund requests due to items not being delivered in time for Christmas. This will have a massive impact on our business, as like most businesses we depend heavily on November and December sales. Businesses that are able to sell at our local markets and pop-up shops are really appreciating the support and we need to remember that local businesses “are not just for Christmas” and keep buying local whenever possible throughout the year.
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We are a bricks and mortar retailer with shops in Bristol and Newport. Our sales have become increasingly erratic and unpredictable since July this year. Smaller, day-to-day spending has dropped dramatically, undoubtedly as a result of people having less money in their pockets to spend on themselves. We sell vintage bridal wear alongside general vintage fashion and luckily our bridal wear has been incredibly buoyant this year. This has cushioned us from feeling the drop in general sales too significantly but relying on larger one-off sales is not a comfortable place to sit as a retailer.
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I had a really good November. I think everyone was buying Christmas presents early due to postal strike warnings. December has been strong but more at the start and now it's quietened down. The postal strikes are definitely contributing to this. I am unsure about next year. People are still spending money but changing their spending habits so I feel it's about tailoring your business to match the changing behaviour of consumers. As a skincare brand, I am working on the lipstick effect. People still want to feel glamorous, they still want to pamper themselves and they will spend money on high-quality products that will make them feel good but also last a long time.
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Two very different pictures in terms of sales for me over the past two months. Online has been tough and I'm down 55%, although my sales had been on a steady growth pattern for the year until then. Markets, where I sell face-to-face, have been completely different, with an increase in sales of 50% year-on-year. I do wonder how much this was influenced by people buying direct rather than risking postal delays. The postal strikes have had a huge impact on many small retail businesses and with the possibility that they may continue into the New Year, the future is also a worry.
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The cost of living crisis is absolutely biting small businesses like us. We are still dealing with the fallout from Covid and the delayed weddings connected to it. Brides-to-be are waiting until the last minute to order their gowns and asking for additional payment terms to help spread the cost of their dream wedding dress. Due to this, November's sales were down compared to previous years. On a positive note, our diary is getting full for the New Year for late 2023 and early 2024 weddings due to current long lead times on wedding dresses.