TAS businesses celebrate better conditions
December 06, 2011
While Christmas trading is expected to be down on last year, Tasmanian small businesses have reason to celebrate as conditions begin to turn, according to the Sensis® Business Index released today.
Report author Ms Christena Singh said Tasmanian small businesses had been experiencing progressively worse trading conditions over the last 12 months.
“With improvements in sales and profitability, business confidence has risen in Tasmania over the last three months.
“The summer trading period is also expected to provide a further reason for celebration, with improvements in profitability expected,” she explained.
However, Christmas trading is expected to be down on last year. Overall, 22 per cent of Tasmanian businesses are anticipating trading conditions to be busier this Christmas, while 30 per cent are expecting conditions to be quieter and the remainder are expecting it to be line ball with last year.
For those expecting an upswing in trading, an average increase of 17 per cent is predicted. Businesses anticipating a downturn in trading are expecting conditions to be 24 per cent slower than last year.
The Sensis® Business Index indicates 50 per cent of Tasmanian small businesses are planning to hold a Christmas party for staff, clients or suppliers this year, the same level as last year.
“Some Tasmanian small businesses are also taking a proactive approach to managing the Christmas period this year, particularly in relation to increasing Christmas advertising activities and adjusting stock levels.
“For some businesses, for example in the accommodation, café and restaurant sector, it is about gearing the business up for a traditionally busy period of the year. For other businesses, for example in the finance and insurance sector, it is about managing the business through one of the quietest periods of the year,” she explained.
Overall, 27 per cent of Tasmanian small businesses are planning activities to manage the Christmas period, the same level as last year.
Increasing advertising is the most popular activity planned (21 per cent), followed by adjusting stock levels (19 per cent) and introducing seasonal promotions (16 per cent).
Key Tasmanian Indicators for December 2011 Sensis® Business Index:
|
Indicator
|
December 2010
|
December 2011
|
|
Business Confidence
|
+37%
|
+26%
|
|
Sales
|
-1%
|
-16%
|
|
Employment
|
+9%
|
+5%
|
|
Wages and Salaries
|
+10%
|
+6%
|
|
Prices
|
+16%
|
+11%
|
|
Profitability
|
-8%
|
-16%
|
|
Capital expenditure
|
-11%
|
-18%
|
|
Approval of TAS Government
|
-21%
|
-45%
|
ABOUT SENSIS
Sensis helps Australians find, buy and sell. Our integrated network of local search and digital marketing solutions delivers real, measurable business leads to Australian businesses. Sensis' multichannel network includes Yellow Pages®, White Pages®, the 1234 and 12456 Call Connect voice services, Whereis® digital mapping solutions and request-for-quote service, Quotify.
This increasingly diverse network spans print, online, voice, mobile, iPhone, iPad, Android, Telstra's T-Hub and satellite navigation, and information can also be shared from online to mobile and social networking sites. Sensis helps ensure our advertisers are found by more customers than ever by managing their presence across a growing number of advertising platforms including search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo!.
® Registered trade mark of Telstra Corporation Limited (ABN 33 051 775 556). Sensis Pty Ltd (ABN 30 007 423 912) has responsibility for production of the Yellow Pages® and White Pages® directories and related products on behalf of Telstra Corporation Limited.
® & ™ Registered trade mark and trade mark of Telstra Corporation Limited (ABN 33 051 775 556).
Yellow Pages
White Pages
Whereis
Citysearch
About Sensis
Bigpond
Telstra