A cautious Christmas predicted, but get ready for ‘Super Saturday’!

Figures from the e-commerce trade body IMRG, which tracks the performance of more than 200 retailers trading online, report a disappointing October with also sales down 11.7% for the week commencing 10 November.

And it is not just an online trend. The Office for National Statistics reported that retail sales has fallen by 0.7% month on month in October - a poor start for the so-called ‘golden quarter’ for retailers before Christmas.

Even the usually more resilient food stores and supermarkets saw a 0.6% fall in sales, with research showing that households are switching to cooking more at home to save cash.

But an up-tick is predicted with advent of Black Friday, which has fallen a week later this year. Trade has been slow in the run-up to the US inspired event but the hope is that shoppers have held off buying in order to snap up bargains.

Other analysts have presented contrasting views;

Diana Wehrle, Chief Executive of retail analyst Rendle Intelligence and Insights, has commented “the budget compounded already depleted consumer confidence and for many this will be a cautious Christmas. Shoppers will seek out price over festive in-store pageantry”

But Lisa Hooker, head of consumer markets at the advisory firm PwC, strikes a more optimistic note, saying“ What gives us confidence … is that with no major overnight personal tax rises, the budget largely did not affect consumer spending power in the short term.”

Another glimmer of hope for retailers is that Christmas Day falls on a Wednesday this year, which could create a ‘Super Saturday’ on 21 December.

People travelling to their festive destinations are also likely to be buying last minute and impulse gifts - splashing the cash!

For smaller and independent retailers there is the likelihood that this last minute gifting will result in cash transactions so it’s important to be ready with adequate coin and cash float and with cash collection and deliveries scheduled.

Loomis customers using the myLoomis customer portal can ensure they are well prepared by logging into their account and adjusting their requirements accordingly.

And with till points likely to be busy, a Loomis SafePoint smart safe provides valuable ‘extra hands on deck’ - able to check for counterfeit notes, process and reconcile transactions accurately, and negate the need for trips to the bank to deposit takings.