bleak Christmas trading period

[k4mrc]

taken from a leading anyalist tougher times this christmas, maybe -

 

 

The UK's ailing high street faces a bleak Christmas trading period as fears about jobs and efforts by consumers to cut back spending lead to falling sales, recovery specialist Begbies Traynor has warned.

 

The group - which deals with businesses facing insolvency - said there had been a dramatic surge in the number of retailers which face 'critical financial problems' ahead of the festive season, with its 'red flag' early warning system jumping in the last month.

 

The red flag process recorded a large increase in the number of retailers encountering critical problems in September, up 37% compared both to August and the average for the previous three months, with 125 firms facing major difficulties.

 

Nick Hood, senior London partner at Begbies Traynor, said rising unemployment and fragile consumer confidence left retailers looking at a Christmas that could be 'worse than last year.'

 

Hood said: 'Despite the shake-out that has already seen many thousands of shops boarded up with no prospect of being re-opened any time soon, the latest red flag figures are bad news and suggest that Christmas 2009 could see just as many retail casualties as last year.'

 

Understandably, Hood said businesses with a lot of debt and without a solid online offering, and which sold non-essential discretionary items, faced the most risk. Begbies Traynor added it expected a 'significant number' of the companies it had red-flagged to enter into insolvency within a year.

 

The latest warning will dampen hopes of a recovery and follows a tough period for the nation's high street chains.

 

The Office of National Statistics (ONS) said last month that between July and August there had been no growth in retail sales, with a decline of 0.6% in the non-foods sector – driven in particular by falls in clothing, footwear and textiles - cancelling out some growth seen in food store sales.

[Danny King]

I'm hoping for a good christmas, I have so much stock to sell

[keymaker]

Just remember that the same so-called analysts in the financial sector, caused this fiasco in the first place exactly one year ago. If anything, the general public are now switched on to saving money wherever they can, resulting in those who still have a job, spending more wisely! Its not about doing without, rather than getting value for money. Take a good look at your point of sale material, and see where you can make improvements to boost sales. Look at suppliers prices, even an extra 2% off can make a huge difference in net proft.

I am contracted to several insolvency firms for locksmithing services, and they are no busier now, than they were three years ago.

It's not all doom and gloom.

You can always make improvements, however small.

Positive Mental Attitude!

[keithm]

Just remember that the same so-called analysts in the financial sector, caused this fiasco in the first place exactly one year ago. If anything, the general public are now switched on to saving money wherever they can, resulting in those who still have a job, spending more wisely! Its not about doing without, rather than getting value for money. Take a good look at your point of sale material, and see where you can make improvements to boost sales. Look at suppliers prices, even an extra 2% off can make a huge difference in net proft.

I am contracted to several insolvency firms for locksmithing services, and they are no busier now, than they were three years ago.

It's not all doom and gloom.

You can always make improvements, however small.

Positive Mental Attitude!

 

=D> =D> =D>