Lacklustre gadget sales fuel retail slump in June

Phone and computer sales slipped 9.3%.

Singapore is known as a gadget shopping hub, but June's retail sales statistics seem to be saying otherwise. Phones and computers were the least sellable items in the month of June, according to data released today by the Department of Statistics .

According to the Retail Sales Index for June, sales of telecommunications apparatus and computers slipped 9.3% month on month and 7.6% year-on-year. Seasonally adjusted retail sales also fell by 1.1% month-on-month, but inched up 0.4% year-on-year.

"After seasonal adjustment, retail sales of telecommunications apparatus & computers, recreational goods, watches & jewellery, food & beverages and optical goods & books decreased between 3.3% and 9.3% in June 2014 over May 2014," noted the report.

Here's more from the Department of Statistics:

Retailers of wearing apparel & footwear, department stores and motor vehicles registered declines of between 0.3% and 1.8% in sales as well.

On the other hand, retailers of furniture & household equipment, petrol service stations, supermarkets, medical goods & toiletries and mini-marts & convenience stores recorded higher sales of 0.5% to 3.8% in June 2014 over the previous month.