October turnover poll
4 Nov 2008

In September 65% of retailers polled reported increased sales vs. 2007, compared with 69% in August. However the number reporting sales growth in excess of 10% dropped from 51% in August to 22% in September.

The severity of sales slippage is tempered with only 13% of cycle retailers reporting a shortfall in excess of 10% vs. September 2007, compared with 16% in August.

We cannot identify any clear regional trends at this time and we believe these fluctuations relate more to business mix and retail initiatives that anything else.

Over the past 13 months ACT / ActSmart has been plotting turnover trends in over 250 independent retail outlets - worth in excess of £90 million in annual retail sales - and our detailed analysis shows that in 27% of these stores sales reduced in September 2008 vs. 2007. The overall sales shortfall in these stores vs. last year was 18.6%.

In the 63% of retail outlets that reported a sales increase in September the mean growth figure was an astonishing 38.9%, reflecting the growing divide in retailer performance.

Despite the general economic woes impacting upon the high street at large September was a much stronger month than historically for the cycle trade, only marginally behind May/June/July this year.

Overall specialist retailer sales growth in the month was a powerful 25% like for like. Which compares with Halfords reporting a like-for-like sales decline of 1.1% for the quarter to 26th September 2008.

Have things gone off the boil in October? Take part in our October poll below and watch out for the results of our unique retailer research in early November.

(Please note that the performance figures quoted are comparable like for like figures excluding fluctuations caused by the likes of Cycle to Work schemes or retail finance etc).

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