Time called on alarm clocks... (And ) last knockings for door knockers in high-tech boom
ALARM clocks and door knockers are falling out of fashion as households increasingly go high-tech.
Department store John Lewis revealed last night that it has reduced its range of alarm clocks by 30 per cent as people turn to mobiles for their wake-up call.
Sales of knockers have fallen by nine per cent as homeowners invest in smart doorbells with features such as video streaming and phone apps.
The store said sales are up 367 per cent since it started selling them in July last year.
The days of small televisions and DVD players also seem to be numbered, with the most commonly sold screen size doubling to 70 in from 2010’s 36 in. The rise of streaming sent sales of DVD players tumbling by 40 per cent.
And while the trouser press may have been cutting edge in the 1960s, sales at the store have fallen 36 per cent in the past year alone. However, a number of major events like the royal wedding encouraged consumers to keep spending. The World Cup saw sales of 60 in TVs soar by 249 per cent and corner sofas go up 87 per cent. Forty per cent more barbecues were sold.
In the four months after the final episode of nature series Blue Planet II sales of reusable coffee cups, travel cups and flasks were up 71 per cent on last year. Love Island spurred a rush in sales of inflatables and water bottles similar to those featured in the show. However, the “biggest surprise” was a resurgence in the popularity of the thong after years of declining sales. They rose 72 per cent alongside suspenders, which were up 132 per cent.
Simon Coble, John Lewis trading director, said: “It is fascinating to see how big events like the World Cup and the royal wedding have such a significant impact on what we buy.”