The Entertainer reports +22.4% YOY sales growth during Christmas trading period

18/01/19

The Entertainer, the fastest-growing, family-owned high street toy retailer in the UK, is delighted to announce that it delivered a strong sales performance during the Christmas 2018 trading period.

In the five weeks leading up to 29th December 2018, the company posted a 22.4% increase in total sales, with Saturday 22nd December 2018 being the largest trading day during the period. Total like-for-like sales for the same period grew by +13.5% with stores +13.0%, total online sales +17.1% and the retailer’s own website, TheToyShop.com, +51.5% following its successful replatforming earlier in the year.

Gary Grant, Founder and Executive Chairman of The Entertainer, comments, “I’m delighted with our performance over the peak trading period. It caps a tremendous year of growth which has included the opening of 18 new stores for The Entertainer, expansion in our partnership with Matalan, further expansion of our franchise operation into 3 new territories and the acquisition of the Spanish toy retailer, Poly, comprising 57 stores. 2019 will see us continue this trend as we progress with our growth agenda, looking at every opportunity to expand both nationally and internationally. I’d like to thank our employees for their continued enthusiasm and loyalty as without them, none of this would be achievable and of course, our customers, for their continued loyalty and support.”

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For further press information and to book interview time with Gary Grant, please contact the press office on: entertainer@speedcomms.com

About the Entertainer

The Entertainer was founded in 1981 in Amersham, Buckinghamshire by husband and wife team, Gary and Catherine Grant, who instilled the driving force and mission; to be the best-loved toyshop – one child, one community at a time. Today, it continues to be a privately-owned company and is renowned for being the largest independent toy retailer in the UK with a total of 145 stores.

As well as a strong High Street presence, The Entertainer has a successful website platform (TheToyShop.com) which offers a 30-minute click and collect service and has 22 million visits annually and growing. The Entertainer is also recognised for its charitable giving. Each year it tithes 10% of its net annual profit to charity, in addition employees are encouraged to donate directly through Payroll Giving. The Entertainer is also an active member of the Pennies scheme, the digital upgrade of the traditional charity box, which enables customers to donate a few pence to charity at the point of sale when paying by card. On average, this generates £5,000 of customer donations to Children’s hospitals each week. The Entertainer currently employs over 1200 staff across the stores and a further 160 in the Head Office in Amersham, Buckinghamshire.

The Entertainer was ranked 69th in the prestigious Sunday Times “100 Best Companies to work for” in 2018.

About Poly

“Jugueterias Poly” was founded 35 years ago by a Spanish family in Madrid and in 2012 was acquired by the family owned French group Ludendo. The acquisition was agreed to not only modernise the Spanish toy market but also make Poly a destination toy retailer. The chain which has 57 stores, developed a new concept store which included introducing screens to start the digitalisation of the in store consumer experience by connecting stores to online-commerce platforms and social networks; all this enabled continued growth via innovation and to provide enhanced customer service.