Department store retailer John Lewis posts record Saturday driven by Black Friday

In the week to November 24 the department store retailer posted its biggest ever Saturday outside of trading last week, with sales soaring 24% against last year.

John Lewis added that its snowman Christmas TV ad and marketing campaign has also helped drive sales and is as popular as last year’s ad, which featured a little boy waiting for Christmas.

Black Friday particularly increased sales of electrical and home technology, up 31.5% year-on year.

Large electricals grew 23%, with vision up 9%, but telecoms hit the highest note with sales rocketing 107%, driven by large volumes of tablet sales.

As customers prepare their homes for Christmas furniture sales jumped 8%, said John Lewis.

Womenswear outerwear drove womenswear sales up 6%, due to the drop in temperature.

John Lewis added that it was “a story of omni-channel success”, as johnlewis.com had more than one million visits on Saturday and Sunday and the retailer had a record week in click-and-collect sales.

In addition, 22 shops were up against last year with Poole and Croydon top, posting sales 15% up on last year.

John Lewis buying and brand director Peter Ruis added: “With such positive sentiment around our brand, our proposition looking strong in shops and online, and our operations in good shape, we’ve great momentum going into the crucial final five weeks of Christmas trading. It’s all to play for.”

John Lewis’ sister company Waitrose delivered sales up 6.7% to £116m year-on-year, as customers start to buy festive food heading into the end of November.

Sparkling wine sales surged 38% against last year and mixers for drinks were up 27%.

Waitrose said some customers are preparing for the big day early with turkey orders and trimmings up 26%. Christmas confectionary sales are also 41% higher so far this season with sales across the gift food range up 22%. Malt whiskey sales have jumped by a third too.

And as people get ready to wrap presents, sales of Christmas wrapping paper and boxes of cards have begun to pick up “strongly”, said Waitrose, with sales advancing 17%.

Online orders have posted record booking for deliveries this year with December 23 and 24 slots sold out. Online sales rocketed 51% last week. Now the supermarket is looking to ‘Mega Monday’ December 3, for even more of a sales uplift.