IRISH RETAILERS ARE experiencing a “mixed bag” with this year’s post-Christmas sales, through a combination of damp weather, changing consumer habits, and a weekend falling after the 25th.

In the two days after Christmas more than €260 million was spent in Irish shops, Retail Excellence Ireland’s Lynn Drumgoole has said, with a “very positive sentiment” amongst retailers.

And while spending is up, footfall is lagging behind slightly.

“So far it’s been a bit of a mixed bag”, she told TheJournal.ie.

I think some of the on-street stores were impacted a little by the weather. It was a very good day of trading for most, with transaction values up but footfall wasn’t.

She said that from yesterday things would have began to pick up further on the high street as independent retailers open up after a Christmas break.

If the weather put people off making a trip to the shops, they went online, Drumgoole said.

“Online sales are definitely up on previous years,” she said, noting that a lot of big brands would have put out pre-Christmas sale previews to entice customers in.

“Irish customers have embraced online shopping in a big way. Spending in general is up, but it’s how that money is being spent. Consumer patterns are shifting.”

“It’s great to see that a lot of Irish brands are online,” she added, saying that hopefully more will embrace online sales in the new year.

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