In today’s InternetRetailing newsletter we’re reporting as shoppers held back on buying in June, but still plan to buy when they need to.
ONS Retail Sales figures out today suggest that shoppers spent more to buy less in June, and cut back on spending online, with the channel now accounting for just over a quarter of retail sales.
But new data suggests that shoppers did go online to buy goods from fans to paddling pools ahead of this week’s heatwave, before reducing spending online and visits to shops as temperatures topped 40° for the first time.
And research from Future plc suggests that despite current cost-of-living issues, spending ahead of Christmas will be non-negotiable for many shoppers. It has insights into how shoppers plan to spend this year.
The task for retailers and brands is to win the intentional spending that shoppers can still afford. Frasers Group says this week that it has boosted sales and profits in its latest financial year through its ‘elevation strategy’ of moving upmarket to attract leading brands to its stores and websites. However, its full-year preview does not yet include the effect of its £27m Studio Retail acquisition.
And Crew Clothing has plans for international expansion after a year in which it invested across channels and saw sales rise by 40%. The brand worked with a range of sporting events to raise its profile as well as starting to sell in John Lewis and opening stores while investing in digital.
In today’s guest comment, Melissa Minkow of CI&T investigates the way that brands now sell to customers.