Retail sales increased nearly 10 percent in September

ANKARA

Retail sales volume increased by 9.7 percent in September from a year ago, according to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK).

Food, drinks and tobacco sales rose by 11.0 percent year-on-year and non-food sales were up by 13.6 percent but automotive fuel sales decreased by 3.1 percent.

On a monthly basis, retail sales exhibited a decline of 1.8 percent, TÜİK said. In the month, food sales were down 0.9 percent, non-food sales fell by 2.3 percent, while the decline in automotive sales was 1.6 percent.

TÜİK also reported that turnover in the retail industry leaped 130.8 percent in September compared with the same months of 2021. Turnover in food and drinks rose more than 120 percent, and non-food increased by 125 percent.

Sales via mail orders and online platforms grew by 22.1 percent on an annual basis.

Meanwhile, the retail sector expects some 100 billion Turkish Liras in business volume during the shopping sale days this month.

Companies will offer discounts during Singles’ Day on Nov. 11, the “Legendary Friday” on Nov. 26 and Cyber Monday on Nov. 29.

“This year, we expect sales to increase by 100 percent at physical stores and online, which will bring a boon to the industry to the tune of 100 billion liras,” said Emre Ekmekçi, the head of the E-commerce Enterprises Association (ETİD).

Demand for clothing, cosmetics, furniture and tech products will particularly be vibrant, according to Ekmekçi.

Consumers, who waited in the past months for those offers, will release pent-up demand during the sales days, he noted

Online platforms for shopping will be very popular as consumers’ trust in those channels has increased, according to Ekmekçi.

E-trade will increase at least 50 percent in November from the previous month, said Sinan Öncel, the president of the United Brands’ Association (BMD).

All sectors will benefit from those three sales days, but the main beneficiaries will be the apparel and technology companies, he added.

Companies will continue to offer deals in December as well, according to Cenk Çiğdemli from the E-Trade Assembly of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB).

Turnover volume in the retail sector will amount to 500 billion liras in the last two months of 2022, Çiğdelimli said.

Consumer visits to shopping centers during the sales days usually increase between 5 to 10 percent, and presently some 7 million people visit shopping centers each day, according to Hüseyin Altaş, the president of the Council of Shopping Centers.