Freemans sales rise following 'strong' Christmas performance

Digital department store Freemans has reported continued growth over the Christmas period, with sales up 5% in the eight weeks to 31 December 2023.

The online retailer saw Black Friday sales increase 8%, compared to the same period last year.

Earlier in the season, Freemans announced that it would be dropping its catalogue for the first time in its 118-year history.

The retailer revealed a new online look and feel across all its owned channels and paid for marketing called Made You Look, which saw website visits increase 23%.

Sales were also boosted by its Made You Look Christmas TV advertisement, with growth in partywear, electricals and perfumes, amongst other categories.

Ann Steer, CEO of Freemans, said: "The last quarter was one of the toughest I can recall, with continued pressures on the customer’s purse. As such I am delighted with the strong growth that we have delivered over Black Friday and Christmas.

"Sales were so encouraging that it allowed us to come out of sale earlier than last year and start the new season focussing on full price rather than discounting clearance.

"Our announcement to drop the catalogue, something that in the past has been central to both our business and firmly embedded within the nation’s shopping habits for over a century, was very clearly the right thing to do with customers old and new responding well to our digital first approach.

"I would like to thank all my colleagues for a job really well done, set against a challenging wider economic backdrop that we believe will continue over the course of 2024."