The National Retail Association (NRA) has predicted Australian shoppers to splurge $50 billion on retail sales this Christmas with personalisation named as one of the highlighted trends for gifts. It will be the first time that the Christmas trade period – that encompasses the second half of November and all of December – will crack the $50 billion mark. As one of the peak retailer organisations the NRA also noted pure play online sales increasing from $901 million in 2017 to $1.2 billion, a massive 31% increase.

NRA CEO Dominique Lamb said that the 2018 trade period is set to increase on the 2017 figures, making it another record spend. “The NRA is forecasting $50 billion in nationwide retail sales throughout the entire Christmas trade period,” Lamb said.

“Christmas is both a busy and important time of year for retailers, with many businesses recruiting extra staff to meet the increased consumer demand as Australians flock to the shops. A strong sales performance during the festive season can provide a generous windfall that can also help smaller businesses navigate quieter periods of the year.”

Every single state and territory is predicted to see an increase on the 2017 Christmas results, with a 5.4% increase nationwide. The highest spend is again expected to occur in NSW and Victoria, with $16.41 billion and $13.2 billion predicted in those two states respectively.

Myer Giftorium personalised Nutella jars

Personalisation will continue to be a major feature during the 2018 Christmas period. Shoppers are now placing a far higher premium on experiential shopping than simply the physical items they purchase.

This can be seen in Myer’s investment in the Giftorium initiative where customers can Build-a-Bear, gift a personalised Toblerone and even a personalised Barbie! Last year’s Giftorium winner was the personalised Nutella jars, some which are probably sitting on household shelves waiting to be eaten from last year. Many other retailers have followed on their footsteps with onsite personalisation options including Mimco, Kikki K, Monpurse and Type – just to name a few.

A number of bricks and mortar stores with an online presence are also utilising better analytical tools in order to obtain more effective data to maximise sales, after years of online data knowing what appeals to your customers is essential for success.

In a joint media conference with Scentre Group the NRA outlined predicted Christmas expenditure as outlined on the table below.

Scentre Group’s Regional Manager, Customer Experience, Richard Heinz said experience was a key driver of spending  “We’re already seeing savvy shoppers get a head start on their Christmas shopping. We are seeing an increase in customers looking to give their loved ones gift cards and experiences ranging from massage and beauty vouchers to movie tickets and restaurant vouchers.”

“Christmas is in full swing at Westfield with decorations up and Santa in residence across all our centres. Christmas is our busiest time of year and a key period for our retailers, and we will see traffic steadily increase over the festive season as customers come in to buy gifts and food, experience Christmas festivities and spend time with family and friends. We know for our customers, Westfield centres are a destination at Christmas time. We are proud to offer that full sensory experience – from music, to decorations, and unique Christmas experiences, along with the functional offer of all their gifting and food needs under one roof. We expect more than 130,000 Australian families and 3,000 pets to have a photo with Santa in our centres this year.” he said

$3.2 billion will be spent online