Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
In the week (to Saturday January 21) when
John Lewis began introducing spring/summer ranges, total sales were £77.4m – up 4.9% year-on-year.
Home was the strongest category for the department store group, with sales up 9.5% year-on-year.
Director of merchandising operations Jon Williams said this was partly due to its Clearance Sale, which has ended in other categories, but always continues until the end of January in Home.
Last week offers on furniture led to sales rising 17.9% higher than in the same week last year.
EHT (Electrical and Home Technology) sales were up 2.6% year-on-year. Communications technology products were up 10.8%, driven by demand for audio products such as portable speakers, headphones and radios, and mobile phones. Sales of Apple phones were up 58% and Android phones were up 76%.
Fashion sales were up 3.5% year-on-year. According to Jon, ‘our own-brand spring/summer clothing ranges, went on sale last week and proved popular’. Overall sales of womenswear were up 16.2% year-on-year.
