Footfall down but Christmas sales holding up, say booksellers

Footfall into bookshops is down year-on-year in December, retailers have reported, but traders are holding their nerve, hopeful for a rush of sales in the last week to go before Christmas.

For the first two weeks of December, footfall on high streets and at retail parks and shopping centres across the UK  was down 4.9% year-on-year, with the dip blamed on bad weather and an increase in customers flocking online to buy instead, according to analysis from retail research firm Springboard. 

Booksellers have also reported a dive in footfall.

At Stanford's in London's Covent Garden, footfall was down 5% in the first two weeks of the month, broadly in line with the national average.

Despite this, managing director Tony Maher told The Bookseller sales were holding steady year-on-year. "Trading on the month so far would be level with last year – except for two very poor days when we were hit by the snow (and the following day by it’s after effects) – those two days were about 30% down on last year," he said. "So going into the last week before Christmas, and factoring in the 'extra' day I would expect, and hope, that we will be on a par with last year for the month.”

Waterstones has also reported a shaky beginning to the key Christmas trading month. “The start has stuttered, though in part for good reason: dreadful weather, especially in the Midlands," managing director James Daunt said.

However, he too seemed optimistic sales would level out with an extra weekend before to go the big day this year in comparison to last. "Of course, this year we have another full weekend to go," Daunt said. "The uplift in sales for bookshops is extreme and so small percentage changes in the last days dwarf large percentage changes early in the month. The challenge is to keep the shops full of books right through this week. My prayers are for our booksellers and DPD more than they are for footfall. Both seem in good shape right now!”

Footfall is also down for Blackwell’s, although "not by as much as 4.9%", said Dean Drew, sales and marketing director.

"We lost a couple of days last week to the weather, but overall basket size has been up, which has made up for it", Drew said. "We have more promotions, more events and more recommendations, which has helped. Those who are coming into the shops are buying more and year-on-year for December we are up at our main stores like-for-like. We have had a fantastic time online too, sales are up at Blackwells.co.uk.”

Takings for independent bookshop The Book Case in Hebden Bridge were down in November and December year-on-year, for the first time since the current owners took on the shop in 2011.

Kate Claughan, co-owner of the shop said: "It feels that sales are slightly down. I looked at the figures last week and it seemed that we were about a thousand or two down compared to last year and the year before. Ever since we took over [in 2011] we’ve put a bit on year-on-year and this is the first time it’s dipped, but I suppose it had to happen at some time. November had also been down. Last weekend was busy in Hebden Bridge so we thought this week would be as well, but it was actually very quiet."

Claughan added: "It has been bit weird this year. It seems that Christmas has come as a surprise to some people. People seem to be leaving it later. Although sometimes it can feel quiet and then you realise you have taken £1,500 in the till at the end of day. It might be a case of takingf fewer but bigger sales."

Claughan said The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris (Hamish Hamilton) was selling well at the shop, but there hadn't been any "obvious bestsellers".

Similarly, Nic Bottomley of Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights in Bath, said Lost Words was selling "brilliantly", as well as La Belle Sauvage: The Book of Dust by Philip Pullman (PRH Children's/DFB) and Talking To My Daughter About The Economy by Yanis Varoufakis (Bodley Head).

"There's been a really even spread this year – nothing’s doing absurdly well. There’s a much more broad spread which is healthy and we haven’t had any issues with stock", said Bottomley.

Discussing footfall, Bottomley said his shop had bucked the national trend: "It has been really good this week, very good past two weeks. Last week was a little flat-ish because the Bath Christmas market ended that weekend, but that’s a local issue. It’s turned again, though, today’s very busy."

Richard Drake, co-owner of  Drake – The Bookshop, based in Stockton, was also positive. “I’ve heard people saying it’s quieter this year, anecdotally from reps, but we’re actually significantly up on last year, by around 20%," he said. "A lot of the people who are coming in are buying. November was a slow start but then things got going. It’s either really quiet or really busy. We’ve been lucky though and I think we started from a low base – we’ve only been open for two years and in our current premises for 14 months.

"I would love to know what the Christmas number one will be because there doesn’t seem to be anything that’s sticking its head above the parapet.”

Earlier this month, booksellers said they were feeling bullish about Christmas trading, despite a "lack of stand-out titles" and a “trend void” with the Ladybirds for Grown-ups and Five Go...series dipping in popularity from the last two years. A full week’s trading in the run-up to Christmas Eve in 2017 was giving retailers cause for optimism, but many believed customers were waiting later and later to buy presents before the big day.

The Bookseller is running its annual Christmas Trading Survey for independent bookshops. To complete it, please click here.