Fashion chain Jigsaw has announced a 19% rise in sales over the festive period.
The fashion clothing retailer reported a 12% lift in like-for-like sales in the five weeks to January 2nd, with the demand for faux-fur trimmed coats and cashmere pyjamas taking total sales to £14.2 million over the period.
Chief executive, Peter Ruis said that the strong trading was evidence to the retailer’s decision not to discount on Black Friday and focus on quality products. Jigsaw began offering discounts online on the afternoon of Christmas Eve, instead.
“Discounting across the industry has gone completely wrong, customers no longer understand the value of a product if for 18 weeks out of 26 weeks there is a promotion”, Peter Ruis said.
Mr Ruis also took a swipe at complaints that warmer temperatures were impacting demand across the industry, saying: “Britain has had a warm winter for the last four or five years, you can’t complain - you just have to get on with it. But knowing trading might be weaker makes it all the more barmy to participate in Black Friday”.
The family-owned fashion chain opened seven stores last year and has plans to open another ten this year, taking its total across the country to 85. Further concessions are planned in Dutch department de Bijenkorf, where John Lewis is also planning to launch a shop-in-shop this year.
Earlier this year Jigsaw annual sales passed £100 million for the first time, after a 12.3% like-for-like sales growth.
Jigsaw also had plans to open in more European countries and would be taking back control of its Australian business in March. The group also has stores in California, Singapore, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and South Africa.
