According to the Japan Chain Stores Association (56 firms, 10,065 stores), unseasonable weather resulted in decreasing sales of apparel and household goods this April.
April 2018 apparel sales decreased by 2.7% compared to the same month of last year to 89,049 million yen. Itemwise, sales decreased across the board: men’s wear, 16,758 million yen (down 2.8%); women’s wear, 24,221 million yen (down 7.3%); and other garments and accessories, 48,070 million yen (down 0.1%).
In men’s wear, sales were favorable for jackets, slacks, easy pants, casual shirts and long-sleeve T-shirts, but were slow for suits, business shirts and cardigans.
Well-selling women’s wear items included shirts, blouses, cardigans, three-quarter-sleeve tunics and T-shirts, while formal wear, jackets, coats and pants were sluggish.
In other garments and accessories, pajamas, women’s underwear and children’s bottoms sold well.