August Retail Sales

[the end is a bit nigher]

the usual BRC toss - overall sales actually rose but it doesnt seem that the margins were good enough so they want us to borrow more etc.

whinging found here

[benjamin]

It's cricket's fault. Unbelievable!

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30400-13430992,00.html

[erd]

Total sales, which include new floorspace, rose 2.9 percent on the year, and have risen for most of this year.

So we have actually spent more overall? CPI inflation is 2.3%, so even compared to that sales are up.

To any journalists reading, who are writing tomorrows papers, please point out that sales are rising not falling!

[I Told You So]

They are a joke.

I've posted this before but I will bore you with it again.

My concern was that they didnt include online sales in their figures so I rang up their economics dept.

BRC "if a high street retailer has and online arm then yes they are included"

Me "what if they are a pure online retailer"

BRC "err no they are not included"

Bearing in mind that online accounts for 6% to 10% of retail now surely they are just churning out meaningless figures.

Does that mean they do not include Amazon, eBay etc etc in their calculations?

[Hino98]

So we have actually spent more overall? CPI inflation is 2.3%, so even compared to that sales are up.

To any journalists reading, who are writing tomorrows papers, please point out that sales are rising not falling!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"No one should be fooled into believing that the slight improvement relative to July indicates a change in trend," said BRC Director General Kevin Hawkins, reiterating his view that more interest rate cuts were needed to boost spending."

Recently I was speaking to the manager of a local 'National Chain' store, we were discussing the number of Chinese products for sale, and how the quality had constantly improved, while the price continued to fall.

He said, "The Chinese stuff is great as far as the customer is concerned, but we have to sell four times as much of the stuff to make the same profit as we used to make out of selling 'Australian made' goods".

As Gladstone said......"There are lies, damn lies, and statistics"

[Guest Time 2 raise Interest Rates]

"No one should be fooled into believing that the slight improvement relative to July indicates a change in trend," said BRC Director General Kevin Hawkins, reiterating his view that more interest rate cuts were needed to boost spending."

Professor Gordon Pepper, on interest rates.

August rate cut was an error, the current consensus that economic growth will be

sluggish is likely to be wrong, evidence of economic recovery should become available befor long. The best course of action at the moment is probably to wait

untill the evidence becomes available, and to raise rates then by, perhaps, two

0.25% in quick succession.

[DonnieDarker]

Will this mean fantastic sales for Xmas?!

(Serious question, made in a flippant way).

[libitina]

Will this mean fantastic sales for Xmas?! 

(Serious question, made in a flippant way).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think people have realised over the last couple of years, that if they wait long enough, the retailers will crack before they do, and start their sales before Xmas.