BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Retail Traffic Index figures have indicated that the number of shoppers in May fell by 5.1 per cent compared like-for-like with May 2008, stumping a strong April retail performance, according to this report in the Retail Bulletin. Footfall dropped 3.1 per cent compared with April 2009.
Synovate retail psychologist Dr Tim Denison said: “April was better than any of us could have wished for; it was certainly busier than we had forecast.
“Optimists might have seen the start of quarter two as the beginning of ‘the turn’. Unfortunately, our latest data would suggest that any such call is premature. The volatility in our footfall figures and retail sales figures reflects the fragility of people’s ‘feel good’ mood swings and their preparedness to go out and spend on the high street.”
The Association of Cycle Traders (ACT) found that cycle industry sales also suffered in May – bucking the positive trend sales had seen in March and April.
Like-for-like cycle shop sales fell 7.1 per cent compared with last year, while across the previous two months sales jumped 20 per cent compared like-for-like with 2008.
A strong retail performance in May 2008 has been seen as one of the key reasons behind last month’s fall.
