Retailers wanting warm weather to boost sales

Retailers are hoping for hot weather this festive season, claiming it could make or break the all-important Christmas period.

Warm weather tends to get people to the shops, and retailers have warned that if sales don’t pick up before the big day, hundreds of casual jobs could hang in the balance.

Russell Zimmerman from the Australian Retailers Association says the early push on Christmas sales is a sign retailers are getting nervous.

“I think retailers are really sweating on the fact that there will be an interest cut in December,” Mr Zimmerman said.

And hundreds of Christmas casual jobs are depending on it.

“The past few months have been pretty quiet too, they’re probably holding off on hiring a lot of people until it gets a bit busier,” said Rundle Mall retailer Kathryn Lamattina.

While job seekers say they are already finding it hard to get work, retailers are looking more towards the weather.

“If the weather is hot and is inducive to people going out and buying what I call seasonal products,” Mr Zimmerman said.

But even for those who have already been hired and trained up for the Christmas job, the Retailers Association says there is no guarantee they will be called in to work.

“You’ve got to actually spend that time and money to make sure that when it does get busy, you’ve got the staff to put on, but if on the other hand it doesn’t get busy, then those casuals will not be called in,” Mr Zimmerman said.