At the start of lockdown in Greater Sydney, we shared with you what our team at The Latch and its fellow publications had impulse-bought. And, from vibrators, to bamboo undies and bougie hand wash, turns out, the items we’d ordered online were wide-ranging and, in the case of some (ahem, bamboo undies), somewhat unexpected.
Now, with new data released by BIG W showing sales in NSW and Victoria over the last few weeks, we can see exactly what everyone else — most of them in lockdown, too — is buying.
Unsurprisingly, the number one surge category has been men’s and women’s activewear, with the category at sales of 450% more than usual. Within the category, top-selling items have included men’s fleeces, women’s yoga pants and women’s hoodies, which makes sense when you consider all the winter-time outdoor exercise.
Craft products came next, with surging sales of 421%. Artist brushes, kids’ activity kits and projects and artist canvas were among the most purchased with the category. And finally, knitting and sewing gear were among the top categories, with a sales surge of 342%. Seasonal yarn, knitting accessories and sewing machines were among its top category buys.
Other surging categories included cosmetics, kitchenware, confectionery, books, storage and cleaning and home office. The brand also revealed that in the past four weeks, their online sales in the two states have doubled and that their Express Delivery options have increased by triple digits since this time last year. Conveniently, in addition to its contactless home delivery, the chain also offers pick-up and direct-to-boot services, which also explains its surging sales.