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Menswear sales hitting Australian retail shops this winter
08 Jun '12
3 min read
Men are putting the heat on women as they lead the charge back instore to shop, with retailers launching winter sales today expecting to see menswear flying off the shelves at a rate not seen in some years, Australian National Retailers Association (ANRA) CEO Margy Osmond said.
“The winter sales period has developed as large a profile as Boxing Day and retailers anticipate business shirts and menswear sales to be almost as high as they are through that period.
“Retailers are telling us that blokes are returning to shopping, perhaps because they feel more confident about the economic outlook than women do, or they are running out of suits after a few years of thrift and need to update their wardrobes,” Mrs Osmond said.
She said men were returning to shopping, along with Gen Y who have a knack for sniffing out a bargain.
“Our young shoppers are back and they are always a force to be reckoned with come sales time. The younger generations are often still living at home, not facing rising utility bills or mortgage payments and while the global economy is background noise, they still have a safe environment for spending. We expect to see them back in store as the sale signs go up again,” she said.
Mrs Osmond said retail continued to struggle, particularly the discretionary spending part of the sector.
“Food retailing continues to do well, if we removed food from the retail figures from last week the drop went from -0.2% to -0.7% the most significant fall in almost a year. This sales period is significant for retail, particularly our department store and clothing, shoes and accessory retailers who are looking for a strong second half of the year.
“The Reserve Bank of Australia's cash rate cut might squeeze a few more shoppers out of the doldrums and into the malls around the country, but unless the banks pass the cut on in full we will continue to see depressed retail results.
“Consumers are looking for the light at the end of the tunnel that tells them it is safe to shop again, that Europe's woes won't result in another global meltdown, that utility bills are stable and their mortgage will be easily managed.
“In the meantime, retailers are focusing on what they can control – bringing consumers some of the best prices they have seen in years as the Winter Sales season kicks into gear today,” Mrs Osmond said.
“The winter sales period has developed as large a profile as Boxing Day and retailers anticipate business shirts and menswear sales to be almost as high as they are through that period.
“Retailers are telling us that blokes are returning to shopping, perhaps because they feel more confident about the economic outlook than women do, or they are running out of suits after a few years of thrift and need to update their wardrobes,” Mrs Osmond said.
She said men were returning to shopping, along with Gen Y who have a knack for sniffing out a bargain.
“Our young shoppers are back and they are always a force to be reckoned with come sales time. The younger generations are often still living at home, not facing rising utility bills or mortgage payments and while the global economy is background noise, they still have a safe environment for spending. We expect to see them back in store as the sale signs go up again,” she said.
Mrs Osmond said retail continued to struggle, particularly the discretionary spending part of the sector.
“Food retailing continues to do well, if we removed food from the retail figures from last week the drop went from -0.2% to -0.7% the most significant fall in almost a year. This sales period is significant for retail, particularly our department store and clothing, shoes and accessory retailers who are looking for a strong second half of the year.
“The Reserve Bank of Australia's cash rate cut might squeeze a few more shoppers out of the doldrums and into the malls around the country, but unless the banks pass the cut on in full we will continue to see depressed retail results.
“Consumers are looking for the light at the end of the tunnel that tells them it is safe to shop again, that Europe's woes won't result in another global meltdown, that utility bills are stable and their mortgage will be easily managed.
“In the meantime, retailers are focusing on what they can control – bringing consumers some of the best prices they have seen in years as the Winter Sales season kicks into gear today,” Mrs Osmond said.
Australian National Retailers Association (ANRA)
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