For immediate release
Latest figures from retail analyst SPSL released today show that the ‘rush curve’, the week-on-week build-up to Christmas, continues to gather momentum and is actually far stronger than last year – more evidence that we do our Christmas shopping later and later each year.
In 2005 shopper numbers over the first two weeks of December were up 11.4% on the previous fortnight. This time around they are up by 16.5%. Despite the rush building momentum, shopper numbers at this stage are still down on last year. For the last fortnight, retail footfall is down 4.3% on the same weeks of 2005.
Dr. Tim Denison, Director of Knowledge Management at SPSL and leading retail psychologist comments; “Retailers should take heart from these latest Retail Traffic Index™ figures. Though we are building from a quieter base than last year, the acceleration in the number of trips being made is now outpacing 2005. The RTI deficit for December is closing. For the first official week of the month (w/c 26th November) the gap was -5.1%; this has now narrowed to -4.3% for the fortnight when the second week is added.
“Retail footfall for last week, officially the second week of December (w/c 3rd), was down 3.6% year-on-year, but up 8.0% on the previous week (w/c 26th November). Our forecast for last week (w/c 3rd Dec) had shown an expected decline of 5.0% against last year, so the actual drop of 3.6% is welcome news and shows how the later and stronger ‘rush curve’ is affecting shopper numbers.
“A busy Saturday (with shopper numbers up 1.1% against the same day last year) made all the difference. We are still very much on target to reach a creditable Christmas result for retailing and see no need to revise our December forecast (shopper numbers down 2.4% on 2005).
“Christmas shopping is now firmly on people’s radars and will be in their plans for the next fortnight. Those intent on leaving their shopping right to the last minute (typically men) need to be careful not to get caught out this year, however. With Christmas Eve on a Sunday, the shops won’t be open as late.
Important Note to Editors: Dr. Tim Denison is available for TV, radio and print media interviews. If you wish to tie these in with your diary, SPSL will be issuing RTI updates on the following dates: Monday 18.12.06 – 3rd weekend results releaseWednesday 20.12.06 – 3rd week in December releaseMonday 25.12.06 – 4th weekend/final shopping days results releaseWednesday 27.12.06 – 4th week in December/boxing day results release
All enquiries for follow up or interviews with Dr Tim Denison should be directed to Theo Chalmers at Verve PR on 01908 275271 (weekdays) or 07932 004632.
ENDS
SPSL would like to make it clear that the RTI is the only UK index that exclusively measures the number of shoppers actually entering stores as opposed to persons entering retail centres, where there may be stores as well as other non-retail premises and which may be accessed for a host of reasons other than in order to enter a store. ABOUT SPSL
Established in 1989, retail research group SPSL is the largest European provider of proprietary tools for high accuracy customer traffic and behavioural analysis deployed by retailers. The company monitors more than 420 million visits to over 2,150 retail premises per annum in the UK alone. Its customers include many of the retail industry’s most successful companies across all retail sectors except grocery, convenience and minor retail service sectors. SPSL is trusted by retailers to provide mission-critical Key Performance Indicators to measure customer volume, sales opportunities, conversion rates, staff stretch, promotional activity and in-store lay-outs. Its data features regularly in serious trade and consumer media and it exclusively provides the UK Retail Traffic Weather Map as seen in Retail Week and on the Retail Bulletin website. Director of SPSL, retail psychologist Dr. Tim Denison is a frequent and popular commentator on issues relating to shopping for national and regional broadcast, print and online media.
Using SPSL systems, retailers are able to reliably measure customer traffic flow on an ongoing hour-by-hour basis as well as determine in-store ‘weather’, assess the impact of marketing initiatives, and tailor staff levels according to customer demand rather than service supply. The company owes its unrivalled reputation and success on the accuracy, dependability and specialist nature of both its data and its support services. It runs its UK and European operations from its head office in Milton Keynes, England and invests heavily in developing advanced behavioural analysis and tracking tools to create ever more beneficial trading results for its customers and ever more enriched shopping experiences for theirs.
STOP PRESS: SPSL wins GLA tender. From 24th July 2006, SPSL has been appointed as sole official supplier of footfall data to the Greater London Authority (GLA) and Transport for London (TfL). The GLA has entrusted SPSL with this critical task in order to have a truly accurate measure of the impact of the existing Congestion Zone and the proposed Congestion Zone western extension on shopper numbers in central London. SPSL is proud to enter into this relationship with the GLA and to have demonstrated once again the superior accuracy, robustness and reliability of its data.
ABOUT THE RETAIL TRAFFIC INDEX (RTI)
The RTI from SPSL is regarded as the national benchmark of retail shopper traffic flow. It is constructed using a nationally representative sample of over 420 million visits to over 2,150 retail premises per annum across the UK, excluding the grocery, convenience and minor retail service sectors. For further details and a full explanation see www.customercounting.com.
For PRODUCT information please contact:Dominic McGuinness or Dr Tim DenisonSPSL34 Walker AvenueWolverton MillMILTON KEYNESMK12 5TWTel: +44( 0)1908 682700Fax: +44( 0)1908 682739website: www.customercounting.com
MEDIA enquiries to:Theo Chalmers Verve Public RelationsPark House, 8 Grove Ash Mount Farm MILTON KEYNES MK1 1BZ Tel: +44( 0)1908 275271 Fax: +44( 0)1908 275272 e-mail: t.chalmers@vervepr.co.uk
