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VIC businesses celebrate with a Christmas bash

December 06, 2011

Victoria’s businesses are experiencing the nation’s strongest conditions and are most likely to be putting on a Christmas bash this year, according to the Sensis® Business Index released today.

Report author Ms Christena Singh said Victorian small businesses had experienced strong improvements in trading conditions during the quarter.

“Business confidence and profitability in Victoria is now the strongest in the nation, although conditions are still well below the levels experienced in Victoria this time last year.

“Victorian small businesses also have the nation’s rosiest expectations for the coming quarter. However, Christmas trading is expected to be down overall on last year,” she explained.

Overall, 23 per cent of Victorian businesses are expecting trading conditions to be busier this Christmas, while 29 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 22 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 64 per cent of Victorian small businesses are planning to hold a Christmas party for staff, clients or suppliers this year, the highest level in the national and up from 59 per cent in Victoria last year.

“Some Victorian small businesses are also taking a proactive approach to managing the Christmas period this year, particular in relation to increasing advertising activities and introducing sales promotions.

“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, 18 per cent small businesses are planning activities to manage the Christmas period, up three percentage points on last year.

Increasing advertising is the most popular activity planned (24 per cent), followed by introducing sales promotions (20 per cent and the highest level in the nation), having a shut down period (13 per cent), increasing the sales force (11 per cent), increasing staff (10 per cent), and extending trading hours (10 per cent).

Key Victorian Indicators for December 2011 Sensis® Business Index: