218
Fashion Jobs
SHIMANO
Brand Coordinator
Permanent · UPPSALA
L'OREAL GROUP
Pharmacy Representative - Dermatological Beauty Division - Gothenburg Region
Permanent ·
GANT
Business Controller
Permanent · STOCKHOLM
GANT
Senior Business Controller
Permanent · STOCKHOLM
H&M
Operations Manager to h&m Distribution Center Borås
Permanent · BORÅS
H&M
Web Analyst / qa Data Layer Resource
Permanent · STOCKHOLM
H&M
Data Analyst to h&m – Supply Planning
Permanent · STOCKHOLM
H&M
Engineering Manager Sap Platforms, Sap Dev & Tech
Permanent · STOCKHOLM
H&M
Wifi Solution Architect - Network
Permanent · STOCKHOLM
H&M
Cyber Security Iam Manager
Permanent · STOCKHOLM
NAKD
Head of Sales
Permanent · GOTHENBURG
NAKD
Head of Commercial Business Control
Permanent · GOTHENBURG
H&M
Pension & Benefits Administrator And Process Improver
Permanent · STOCKHOLM
H&M
Technical Engineer For Warehouse Devices Management
Permanent · STOCKHOLM
H&M
Junior Planner to h&m Assortment- Open Application
Permanent · STOCKHOLM
RALPH LAUREN
Sales Professional
Permanent · STOCKHOLM
H&M
Advanced User Team Leader
Permanent · ESKILSTUNA
ZALANDO
Principal Product Manager - Data And Platform (All Genders)
Permanent · STOCKHOLM
ESSILORLUXOTTICA GROUP
Key Account Manager Nordics
Permanent · GOTHENBURG
H&M
Production Manager – Singular Society
Permanent · STOCKHOLM
ZALANDO
Senior Product Manager - Finance & Compliance (All Genders)
Permanent · STOCKHOLM
ZALANDO
Senior Product Manager - Returns Shipping Solutions
Permanent · STOCKHOLM
Ads
Published
Nov 5, 2019
Reading time
2 minutes
Download
Download the article
Print
Text size

Discount pressures continue to colour John Lewis sales story

Published
Nov 5, 2019

It was a bad news week for John Lewis Partnership in the seven days to November 2 as the retailer said that parent company sales fell almost 7% to a little over £223 million, but the department stores chain fell even more.


John Lewis



In fact, the department stores saw plunging sales, particularly in fashion. Overall, sales dropped by 10.4% on the same week last year as it "annualised against competitor promotions". This means that this time last year, it was price-matching rivals to drive sales and not doing that last week kept turnover muted.

In the often-buoyant Fashion department, sales were down a hefty 16.6%, although sales of beauty and premium accessories were up as “customers shopped promotions across these categories”. But again, it's clear that promotions were the sales drivers here, not compelling products or must-have trends.

What’s worrying about all this is that John Lewis has traditionally been seen as the most resilient of the mid-market department stores. Factoring out the luxury niche occupied by Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Liberty and, of course, Selfridges, the UK department stores scene has been mainly about House of Fraser, Debenhams and John Lewis.

With the first two of this trio having had well publicised problems in recent years, John Lewis was a beacon as a well-run business rising above the challenges that a changing and cautious market was offering up.

But it seems that even John Lewis can’t bat away the ongoing profits-sapping consumer obsession with discounts, whether in fashion or beauty.

Its weakness has been particularly visible for some time in its Home department as well, and once again in the latest week, Home sales dropped. They were down by 14.1%, even though customers were decorating their homes and preparing for Christmas earlier than ever with Christmas Shop sales up 22.1%. It’s interesting though that it also saw an increase in sales of “experience” gifts, which were up 92% compared to last year. 

Copyright © 2024 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.