Black Friday boosts retail sales volumes up 5% in November

The Office for National Statistics said this morning that the quantity of goods bought in November grew 5% year on year. On a month on month basis volumes were up 1.7%.

The amount spent in the retail industry increased 1.4% in November 2015 compared with November last year and was up 1.4% compared with October. The ONS said £32.2bn was spent in November, up from £31.7bn last year.

Ecommerce enjoyed a bumper month as shoppers rushed online to take advantage of the bargains over Black Friday. The value of online sales increased 12.7% year on year and rose 4.9% from October.

Online sales at household goods stores surged 38.3% in November while department stores sales climbed 24.2%.

The ONS said average store prices including petrol stations dropped by 3.3% in November compared to the year before, the 17^th consecutive month of year-on-year price falls.

The ONS data is in contrast to industry figures published by the BRC-KPMG which showed retail sales dropped 0.4% on a like-for-like basis from November 2014. On a total basis they edged up 0.7% against a 2.2% rise the year before.

Commenting on the data, KPMG head of retail David McCorquodale said: “Arguably the biggest shopping day of the year has come and gone and retailers have seen their hard work pay off with a 5% increase in sales volume compared with the same period last year.

“The challenge for the high street in December will be to recreate the hype of Black Friday’s online sales – in store. The key will be playing on the theatre of the Christmas shopping experience, that buzz of the festive foray, which will hopefully leave consumers’ pockets jingling all the way to the tills.”