There was more shopping at the shopping centers in week 50 than in the same week last year. But the biggest shopping day before Christmas is today, 22 December.
The Kvarud Analyses Christmas trade index, is based on figures from 200 shopping centers around the country. In week 50 (11-17 December), the shopping centers had good sales figures, an increase of 0.9 percent compared with the same week last year.
Like the week before, stores within the category of homes and home decor had the biggest sales increase.
– “This may indicate that the popular gifts are for the home and electrical products this Christmas. Over the past five weeks, these stores have increased 4.2 percent from last year,” says Bror William Stende, Managing Director of Virke Trade.
The start of Christmas shopping has also been good for specialty stores, including sports boutiques, pharmacies, flower shops, goldsmith shops and the like.
“These stores accounted for 27% of sales at shopping centers in week 50. It shows that Christmas shopping kicked off last week.
We are still in the current week, week 51, which is the biggest shopping week in December, basically because we are going to buy Christmas dinner this week. Particularly today, December 22, is an important day of trade.
Virke estimates that today it will trade for 3.5 billion, just like on Black Friday.
“There is a lot to wait for the last minute with the very last gifts, so the week before Christmas becomes a busy week for the shops. But keep in mind that the shops are closed on Christmas Eve this year, so do not wait too long,” says Stende.
Source: Virke / Norway Today