Lets Get Real About Retail

[pobby]

I have to laugh about the so called down turn on the high street.For many years I have been a self employed sales agent and believe me, I sell everything from dvd players to toys.

It really is getting bad out there.Im not going to bore you with percentage drops but my sales figures are going down at an alarming rate since 2004.I have customers that are small retailers through to main high street shops and most are struggling badly across all sectors.

As well as the U.k, i have contacts in Southern Ireland where property prices would blow any bodies socks off and it is the same story there.

I think for many retailers this year will be very difficult.Shoppers seem to be drying up!Guess folks are getting the message that at some point debt has to be paid back.

Thinking about good old GB and his economic miracle--------didnt old Thatch say the same-------and I remember where that ended up.Mind you----its different this time!Or as someone told me--they{Blair and crew I presume}wont let it happen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Im laughing me ---- off!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest Winners and Losers]

Great to hear it from someone at the grass roots. Where is dogbox?

[Perfectionist]

I'm guessing DVD players and Toys are the first to go down the list of priorities .....

[notanotherone]

Toys, DVDs, in fact anything people used to buy on the high street, is in decline. But only from those retailers.

However internet sales are up massively, and Tesco have made inroads into these areas too. Why visit the high street (expensive parking, poor access) when you can fill up your trolley during the weekly shop?

[verolution]

its not rocket science taking on debt is reducing future spending, therefore at some point in the future (i.e now) people have less to spend and have to pay it back previous excesses. Unfortunately it seems 99% of the public (and the Labour govt) consider debt as a supplement to their income that grows on trees and never needs to be paid back

[CrashConnoisseur]

I have customers that are small retailers through to main high street shops...

Any online retailers? If so, how are they doing relative to high street shops?

Edited February 19, 2006 by Jeff Ross

[Perfectionist]

Very True ..... I've bought almost 90% of all my stuff off Ebay for the past couple of years now .....

And this is only the beginning ..... National spend over the Internet is going to explode when the teenage kids of today are in the adult workforce ..... my 13 year old niece can work a PC/Mobile etc better than me

[BuyingBear]

I think for many retailers this year will be very difficult.Shoppers seem to be drying up!Guess folks are getting the message that at some point debt has to be paid back.

I don't believe the thinking is that deep, people have been told for ages about the debt pile, what you're seeing is simple constriction, they may want to buy everything in the shop but they've simply run out of money. What does a 4% pay rise buy you in the face of double-digit council tax increases, same for petrol, electricity, 25% gas price rises all compounded on former rises, higher interest rates on bigger mortgages, it hits a point where the essentials slice of the cake eats into discretionary spending.

Also, who goes out and buys five extra DVD players because they're now £3 cheaper?

[pobby]

I have customers that are small retailers through to main high street shops...

Any online retailers? If so, how are they doing relative to high street shops?

Yes Jeff,good point.I have one shop/internet based company that does far more trade with me than any other outlet.In the pub last night,someone said to me that he goes into his local music shop to try out equipment then goes home to order on the internet!

I believe that more and more bricks and mortar retailers will become showrooms for on line traders.