8501.0 - Retail Trade, Australia, Nov 2017  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 11/01/2018   
   Page tools: Print Print Page Print all pages in this productPrint All

11 January 2018

MEDIA RELEASE
Embargo: 11.30 am (Canberra time)
Black Friday and iPhone X sales drive 1.2 per cent rise


Australian retail turnover rose 1.2 per cent in November 2017, seasonally adjusted, according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Retail Trade figures.

This follows a 0.5 per cent rise in October 2017.

"In seasonally adjusted terms, rises were led by the household goods (4.5 per cent) and other retailing (2.2 per cent) industries," the Director of the Quarterly Economy Wide Surveys, Ben James, said. "Seasonally adjusted sales in both these industries are influenced by the release of the iPhone X and the increasing popularity of promotions in November, including Black Friday sales."

There were also rises for clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (1.6 per cent) and cafes, restaurants and takeaways (0.4 per cent). Department stores fell (-1.1 per cent) whilst food was unchanged in November 2017.

In seasonally adjusted terms, all states rose. There were rises in Victoria (1.8 per cent), New South Wales (1.0 per cent), Western Australia (1.4 per cent), Queensland (0.7 per cent), South Australia (1.5 per cent), Tasmania (1.8 per cent), the Australian Capital Territory (1.2 per cent) and the Northern Territory (0.2 per cent).

The trend estimate for Australian retail turnover rose 0.1 per cent in November 2017 following a rise (0.1 per cent) in October 2017. Compared to November 2016 the trend estimate rose 1.7 per cent.

Online retail turnover contributed 5.5 per cent to total retail turnover in original terms. This is the largest contribution to total retail turnover from online sales in the history of the online series.

More detailed industry analysis and further information on the statistical methodology is available in Retail Trade, Australia (cat no. 8501.0).

Media note:

    • For a detailed definition of each industry group and subgroup in terms of its ANZSIC 2006 classes, please refer to paragraph 6 of the Explanatory Notes.
    • Estimates of online retail turnover are only available in original terms and are not available in seasonally adjusted or trend terms.
    • Along with the monthly current price estimates that reflect both price and volume changes, the March, June, September and December publications also present quarterly estimates that reflect volume and price changes separately.
    • When reporting ABS data, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or ABS) must be attributed as the source.
    • For media requests and interviews, contact the ABS Communications and Partnerships Section on 1300 175 070 (8.30am - 5pm Mon-Fri).
    • Subscribe to our email notification service and get media releases or products sent to you on release.