Lack of promotions failed to encourage shoppers to increase spending, according to monthly tracker.
BDO’s monthly High Street Sales Tracker reported a year on year sales dip of 0.2% for October.
Fashion sales were hardest hit, with a 0.4% fall year on year in October, while the lifestyle sector dipped slightly by 0.2%. However, homewares was up 3.8% compared to the same period last year.
The flat growth in October comes after an exceptional September, which saw its best figures since 2012, reporting the highest monthly rise since April last year.
Fashion retailers were affected by the unseasonably warm October, while promotions failed to encourage shoppers to increase spending from a similarly weak period last year.
“A mixed pattern of discounting failed to incentivise shoppers, many of whom may well be holding out for a discounting bonanza at the end of the month,” said Sophie Michael, head of retail and wholesale at BDO.
“The fulfilment problems and general chaos around Black Friday last year were well documented, but it looks like the early build up to this year’s version in the media may have added to a general reluctance to pay full price.
“Consumers are incredibly savvy and retailers need to find the discounting strategy that will take advantage of consumers’ increased spending confidence as Christmas approaches.”
