QUICK DISCLAIMER: All views & OPINIONS expressed in Matt's Column are his own and the topics are that of his own choice. Comments are welcome below, however please make them relevant to the topic only.
I cannot understand why there seemed to be a reaction of surprise when it was revealed that the High Street suffered its worst sales for 6 months in November with some stores down 7per cent on the same month last year, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
It is also without surprise that the number of shoppers has decreased by 4.14 per cent compared to a year ago and seemingly nothing shall change in the further run up to Christmas. Shops apparently are doing their worst that they ever have within the last 60 years. Some costly online retailers, although more popular have also been the victim of a slump in sales, however, popular retailers have proved just that, though prices have apparently been slashed all round.
Cyber Monday, was predicted to be the busiest day for specialist web retailers, such as Amazon, Play.com and eBay, who announced widespread reductions.
Reductions at Amazon included up to 70per cent off watches, 60per cent off perfumes, 40per cent off cameras, and 20per cent off some Lego sets.
One day deals at Play.com included £90 off an Atticus men’s Windsor peacoat jacket, bringing it down to £29.99; and a BlackBerry Pearl 9105 3G mobile phone for £89.99, which is a claimed saving of £145.
The BRC said sales of clothing, footwear, furniture and kitchen appliances were particularly poor in November.
Its director general, Stephen Robertson, said:
‘There’s a worrying lack of cheer in these figures…Consumers are keeping a tight rein on their spending, despite Christmas being so near.
‘This November’s mild weather contrasted with much lower temperatures last year, hitting sales of winter clothing and footwear particularly hard.
‘Consumers are not quite in the Christmas mind set yet, although stores are working to generate much-needed sales with high levels of festive discounting.’
The High Street is so 1999 isn’t it? Who needs to endure the stressful task of even opening the front door, only to be greeted by a cold draft and hailstone storm when you can simply make a large mug of tea, sit back in your arm chair and order online until your heart’s content? Cities such as Manchester, however, are seemingly booming!
Of course purse strings need to be monitored more than ever, especially in recent cold times where undoubtedly the knob on the boiler simply needs to be turned to “On” so the odd online deal is even better for shoppers this Christmas who are on the lookout for a bargain gift! I myself found a brilliant deal online and made a saving of over £60... what a delightful feeling that was! Shopping is one of the things which has so elegantly embedded itself into the 21st century and quite frankly I’m sure the higher proportion of you reading this just simply could not live without it! The High Street is full of abandoned shops and businesses of the past which have been victim to terrible economic times and quite literally a realisation to just what a state this country is in. Presents need to be bought and quite honestly buying online IS the method to save your hard earned cash! Plus a little bit addictive. Let all us Online shoppers count the number of times we have all shopped from the comfort of our warm and cosy beds, thus not only saving money but shopping without the need of going to all the faff of getting dressed for the coldness and dreariness of the high street!
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