Blackwell's reports 'strong' Christmas sales

Blackwell's has reported "strong" Christmas sales with the chain's online business enjoying a "buoyant" trading period.

The retailer, which has 35 branches across the UK, says it performed ahead of market growth and saw trade boosted from a wide offering and the firm's "strong collection" of signed copies.

Charlie Mackesy's The Boy, The Fox, The Mole and The Horse (Ebury) was a big seller alongside Adam Kay's 'Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas (Picador), The Book of Gutsy Women by Hillary and Chelsea Clinton (Simon & Schuster), Wilding by Isabella Tree (Picador) and The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman (PRH/David Fickling Books).

Blackwell's c.e.o. David Prescott said: "Yet again, the skills and hard work of our excellent booksellers meant that we had a very pleasing Christmas trading period. Both our shops and online achieved buoyant sales and this performance means that we are starting 2020 with great spirit and the expectation of continued success."

Phil Henderson, sales and marketing director, added: "In my first Christmas here at Blackwell’s, I have witnessed first-hand, and time and time again, how brilliantly our booksellers connect with our customers, how they consistently offer great advice and recommendations and how their natural friendliness makes the Christmas shopping experience such a pleasure for our many customers."

Blackwell's added its online business experienced its "busiest ever ‘Black(wells) Friday‚Äô campaign, outperforming in every metric all the way through December. The demand for signed copies online remained unabated at Christmas (as it had throughout 2019) and again, our strong collection of signed copies stood us in good stead".