So how was the summer for retail in general, and more importantly, what does that tell us about what's ahead for Christmas?Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of <a href="https://www.resilientretailclub.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Resilient Retail Club</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherineerdly/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Catherine Erdly</a>.This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Capify - business funding made simple. Find out more at <a href="https://capify.co.uk/retail-growth-hub/?utm_source=PR_Source&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=resilient_retail_sponsorship_web" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">capify.com</a>Depending on what you read this summer, retail either collapsed or quietly got on with it. You'll have seen headlines about the retail apocalypse sitting next to reports of rising consumer spending, and the frustrating thing is that a lot of those contradictory things can be true at the same time.So in this episode I go through what the actual numbers say. Retail sales volumes were up. Footfall was down in six of the first seven months of the year. Online hit its highest share of spending since April 2021. Clothing had its strongest month since September 2025, while furniture and computing were left on the shelf. Consumer confidence climbed to a 21-month high, and June's early promotions appear to have pulled demand forward out of July in exactly the way Black Friday pulls it forward out of December.Put together, that gives us a picture of a customer who hasn't stopped spending at all. They've become selective, occasion-led and comfortable flipping between your website and your shop door depending on the weather and their mood. Which is genuinely encouraging going into Christmas, because Christmas is planned, occasion-led spending. It just means you can't assume that customers spending in general translates into customers spending with you.I finish with the four things I'd want you to do before November: don't plan for disaster, get your entry and mid price points right, stop relying on footfall alone, and keep enough flexibility in your stock budget to react to what's actually selling.Chapters00:00 How was the summer for retail, really?02:51 What the ONS sales numbers actually showed05:26 Why footfall fell but spending didn't07:18 Online's strongest share since 202110:00 Small treats, rising confidence and the October budget12:56 Four things to do before ChristmasResources and linksFree Christmas guide and week-by-week planner: <a href="https://www.resilientretailclub.com/christmas" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.resilientretailclub.com/christmas</a>Episode 316, Retail Christmas Strategy: Why August Decides December: <a href="https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/christmas-planning-for-independent-retailers/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/christmas-planning-for-independent-retailers/</a>All episodes of the Resilient Retail Game Plan: <a href="https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast/</a>Connect with me on LinkedIn: <a href="https://uk.linkedin.com/in/catherineerdly" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://uk.linkedin.com/in/catherineerdly</a>The Resilient Retail Game Plan shares retail industry trends, insights, and best practices for the retailer who's serious about building something that lasts. New episodes every Thursday morning.Mentioned in this episode:Capify

So how was the summer for retail in general, and more importantly, what does that tell us about what's ahead for Christmas? Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly. This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Capify - business funding made simple. Find out more at capify.com Depending on what you read this summer, retail either collapsed or quietly got on with it. You'll have seen headlines about the retail apocalypse sitting next to reports of rising consumer spending, and the frustrating thing is that a lot of those contradictory things can be true at the same time. So in this episode I go through what the actual numbers say. Retail sales volumes were up. Footfall was down in six of the first seven months of the year. Online hit its highest share of spending since April 2021. Clothing had its strongest month since September 2025, while furniture and computing were left on the shelf. Consumer confidence climbed to a 21-month high, and June's early promotions appear to have pulled demand forward out of July in exactly the way Black Friday pulls it forward out of December. Put together, that gives us a picture of a customer who hasn't stopped spending at all. They've become selective, occasion-led and comfortable flipping between your website and your shop door depending on the weather and their mood. Which is genuinely encouraging going into Christmas, because Christmas is planned, occasion-led spending. It just means you can't assume that customers spending in general translates into customers spending with you. I finish with the four things I'd want you to do before November: don't plan for disaster, get your entry and mid price points right, stop relying on footfall alone, and keep enough flexibility in your stock budget to react to what's actually selling. Chapters 00:00 How was the summer for retail, really? 02:51 What the ONS sales numbers actually showed 05:26 Why footfall fell but spending didn't 07:18 Online's strongest share since 2021 10:00 Small treats, rising confidence and the October budget 12:56 Four things to do before Christmas Resources and links Free Christmas guide and week-by-week planner: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/christmas Episode 316, Retail Christmas Strategy: Why August Decides December: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/christmas-planning-for-independent-retailers/ All episodes of the Resilient Retail Game Plan: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast/ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/catherineerdly The Resilient Retail Game Plan shares retail industry trends, insights, and best practices for the retailer who's serious about building something that lasts. New episodes every Thursday morning. Mentioned in this episode: Capify

So how was the summer for retail in general, and more importantly, what does that tell us about what's ahead for Christmas?Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of <a href="https://www.resilientretailclub.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Resilient Retail Club</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherineerdly/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Catherine Erdly</a>.This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Capify - business funding made simple. Find out more at <a href="https://capify.co.uk/retail-growth-hub/?utm_source=PR_Source&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=resilient_retail_sponsorship_web" rel="noopener noreferrer">capify.com</a>Depending on what you read this summer, retail either collapsed or quietly got on with it. You'll have seen headlines about the retail apocalypse sitting next to reports of rising consumer spending, and the frustrating thing is that a lot of those contradictory things can be true at the same time.So in this episode I go through what the actual numbers say. Retail sales volumes were up. Footfall was down in six of the first seven months of the year. Online hit its highest share of spending since April 2021. Clothing had its strongest month since September 2025, while furniture and computing were left on the shelf. Consumer confidence climbed to a 21-month high, and June's early promotions appear to have pulled demand forward out of July in exactly the way Black Friday pulls it forward out of December.Put together, that gives us a picture of a customer who hasn't stopped spending at all. They've become selective, occasion-led and comfortable flipping between your website and your shop door depending on the weather and their mood. Which is genuinely encouraging going into Christmas, because Christmas is planned, occasion-led spending. It just means you can't assume that customers spending in general translates into customers spending with you.I finish with the four things I'd want you to do before November: don't plan for disaster, get your entry and mid price points right, stop relying on footfall alone, and keep enough flexibility in your stock budget to react to what's actually selling.Chapters00:00 How was the summer for retail, really?02:51 What the ONS sales numbers actually showed05:26 Why footfall fell but spending didn't07:18 Online's strongest share since 202110:00 Small treats, rising confidence and the October budget12:56 Four things to do before ChristmasResources and linksFree Christmas guide and week-by-week planner: <a href="https://www.resilientretailclub.com/christmas" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.resilientretailclub.com/christmas</a>Episode 316, Retail Christmas Strategy: Why August Decides December: <a href="https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/christmas-planning-for-independent-retailers/" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/christmas-planning-for-independent-retailers/</a>All episodes of the Resilient Retail Game Plan: <a href="https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast/" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast/</a>Connect with me on LinkedIn: <a href="https://uk.linkedin.com/in/catherineerdly" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://uk.linkedin.com/in/catherineerdly</a>The Resilient Retail Game Plan shares retail industry trends, insights, and best practices for the retailer who's serious about building something that lasts. New episodes every Thursday morning.Mentioned in this episode:Capify

Retail Christmas Forecast: What the Summer Numbers Really Tell Us

Welcome to the Resilient Retail Game Plan. A podcast for anyone wanting to start, grow or scale a profitable creative product business with me, Catherine Erdly. The Resilient Retail Game Plan is a podcast dedicated to one thing - breaking down the concepts and tools I’ve gathered from twenty years in the retail industry and showing you how you can use them in your business. This is the real nuts and bolts of running a successful product business, broken down in an easy, accessible way. This is not a podcast about learning how to make your business look good, it’s the tools and techniques that will make you and your business feel good. Confidently plan, launch and manage your products, and feel in control of your sales numbers and cash flow to help you build a resilient retail business.

Welcome to the Resilient Retail Game Plan. A podcast for anyone wanting to start, grow or scale a profitable creative product business with me, Catherine Erdly. The Resilient Retail Game Plan is a podcast dedicated to one thing - breaking down the concepts and tools I’ve gathered from twenty years in the retail industry and showing you how you can use them in your business. This is the real nuts and bolts of running a successful product business, broken down in an easy, accessible way. This is not a podcast about learning how to make your business look good, it’s the tools and techniques that will make you and your business feel good. Confidently plan, launch and manage your products, and feel in control of your sales numbers and cash flow to help you build a resilient retail business.

Welcome to the Resilient Retail Game Plan. A podcast for anyone wanting to start, grow or scale a profitable creative product business with me, Catherine Erdly. The Resilient Retail Game Plan is a podcast dedicated to one thing - breaking down the concepts and tools I’ve gathered from twenty years in the retail industry and showing you how you can use them in your business. This is the real nuts and bolts of running a successful product business, broken down in an easy, accessible way. This is not a podcast about learning how to make your business look good, it’s the tools and techniques that will make you and your business feel good. Confidently plan, launch and manage your products, and feel in control of your sales numbers and cash flow to help you build a resilient retail business.

Welcome to The Resilient Retail Game Plan

Welcome to the Resilient Retail Game Plan.A podcast for anyone wanting to start, grow or scale a profitable creative product retail business with me, Catherine Erdly.Mentioned in this episode:Capify

Welcome to the Resilient Retail Game Plan. A podcast for anyone wanting to start, grow or scale a profitable creative product retail business with me, Catherine Erdly. Mentioned in this episode: Capify

Welcome to the Resilient Retail Game Plan - giving you retail insights, retail trends updates and best practices for any retailer, from Shopify stores to bricks and mortar units. 

I'm Catherine Erdly, veteran retail expert and consultant and also founder of The Resilient Retail Club.

This is the podcast for anyone wanting to start, grow, or scale a profitable small medium or large product retail business.  Aimed at independent retailers, e-commerce brands, indie sellers, online shops, independent boutiques, shopkeepers, brands and makers.

I'm dedicated to breaking down the concepts and tools I’ve gathered from twenty years in the retail industry in the UK and USA and showing you how you can use them in your small business.

Business

Entrepreneurship

Marketing

Management

Welcome to the Resilient Retail Game Plan - giving you retail insights, retail trends updates and best practices for any retailer, from Shopify stores to bricks and mortar units. I'm Catherine Erdly, veteran retail expert and consultant and also founder of The Resilient Retail Club. This is the podcast for anyone wanting to start, grow, or scale a profitable small medium or large product retail business. Aimed at independent retailers, e-commerce brands, indie sellers, online shops, independent boutiques, shopkeepers, brands and makers. I'm dedicated to breaking down the concepts and tools I’ve gathered from twenty years in the retail industry in the UK and USA and showing you how you can use them in your small business.

Share The Resilient Retail Game Plan - retail insights, retail trends and best practices

Sign up to save your podcasts

The Resilient Retail Game Plan - retail insights, retail trends and best practices

The Resilient Retail Game Plan - retail insights, retail trends and best practices episodes

About The Resilient Retail Game Plan - retail insights, retail trends and best practices

More shows like The Resilient Retail Game Plan - retail insights, retail trends and best practices

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett

Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware

The High Performance Podcast

Parenting Hell with Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe

My Therapist Ghosted Me

The Rest Is Politics

ADHD Women's Wellbeing Podcast

ZOE Science & Nutrition

Dish

The News Agents

The Rest Is Entertainment

The Rest Is Politics: US

Dig It with Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball

Retail Reckoning - Retail Stories from Retail Frontlines

The Romesh Ranganathan Show