Retail sales show signs of pickup

SANDY PARKER REPORT, VOL. 30, ISSUE 30, OCT. 2, 2006
The following extract is reproduced with permission from Sandy Parker Reports, Weekly International Fur News. Sandy Parker has been covering the fur industry for more than four decades. For most of that time he has published a weekly newsletter, detailing results of international pelt auctions, wholesale price trends, business developments and movements in the trade, as well as economic and political activities that may impact on it.
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International Fur News
with Sandy Parker
Retail sales show signs of pickup
FUR SALES AT RETAIL WERE SHOWING SIGNS OF A SEASONAL PICKUP LAST WEEK and retailers were confident that, when they closed their books for September, the month’s figures would be at least slightly ahead of last year. The summer’s end found sales of new garments about on par with a year ago and, in some cases, somewhat better in spite of scattered record-breaking heat spells. On the other hand, American retailers recorded good business in storage, cleaning, repairs and other services, which are their main activity during the summer and an important contributor to the year’s bottom line.
That they are now heading into their selling season with year-to-date business slightly ahead – and the media still hyping furs in the fashion picture – is stoking their optimism.
SKIN SUPPLIES – MINK IN PARTICULAR – ARE DESCRIBED AS VERY LOW, both at the manufacturing level and in the open market. So low, in fact, that many purchases at the recent auctions in Copenhagen and Helsinki are understood to have already been paid for and cleared because of immediate need. According to dealers and brokers, virtually all of the current demand for skins is coming from Russian and Chinese accounts and much of that demand is expected to go unsatisfied. By some estimates, if this year’s world mink supply were 8 million more than were actually produced, that too would have been snapped up in the next two months. For this reason, market veterans are predicting shortages that could impact on the ability of the big Chinese manufacturers to fill special orders and reorders placed at the height of the retail season.
In addition, Chinese dressing plants, which now process the bulk of the world’s pelts, are said to be backed up and unable to handle simple dressing in less than four weeks.
IN THIS ISSUE:
Retail Sales Show Signs of Pickup
Stores Optimistic for Season
Consumer Confidence Turns Upward
Skin Supplies Called Very Thin
Shortages Seen Affecting Garments
For extracts from back issues of Sandy Parker Reports see News Index. Subscribers can access an archive of complete issues at www.sandyparker.com.
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