August 17, 2009
Prolonged rainy season causes abnormal trend on summer sales
| The unusually cool summer caused by prolonged rainy seasons, has affected the normal trends of summer sales in the retail industry. This includes the abnormal sales trends summer items like ice cream and cold drinks. The largest convenience store chain in Japan experienced tough times last July and had a drop in sales by 5.5% compared to the same month the previous year. This was due to the slow sales of ice cream and cold beverages. The sale of summer clothing was also affected. One of the fastest growing Specialty Store Retailers of Private Label Apparel) in Japan, “Uniqlo”, had a negative growth turnover after a consecutive 9 months due to slow sales of T-shirts and shorts. There was an approximate 30% decrease in residential air conditioner sales last July compared to the same month of the previous year. This was despite the support of “Eco point”, which is a stimulus measure from the Japanese government that encourages consumer’s to replace old appliances with energy efficient appliances. On the other hand, it has had a positive impact on the sales of some goods. Since people tend to stay in and eat at home on rainy days, small electronics for cooking such as juicers, bread-makers, electric hot plates and food processors are selling well.The sales of umbrellas and raincoats increased by 40% in July compared to their average monthly revenue. |
