THE Christmas countdown is under way. It’s time to brace ourselves for the commercial onslaught that lies ahead.

With the economic conditions we have endured this year, the likelihood is that the retailers will seek to make as much as they can from the festive season.

It may mean our high streets become out of bounds for the faint-hearted.

In case we forget, the look and feel of many of our high streets has changed since last Christmas, with no Woolworths or Zavvi, among others.

The latest figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) underline just how volatile the high street market remains.

Front of house, our retailers may have been busy during the warm weather we all enjoyed in June. But behind the scenes, the challenges of the Christmas season still occupy their minds.

According to the BRC June’s sunshine gave overall sales a much-needed boost.

The heat wave helped food retailers and got customers buying outdoor goods, such as garden furniture, pools and picnic ware. Many clothing clearance sales coincided nicely with the upsurge in demand for summer wear that came from the good weather.

So far, so good. But when the figures were published the Consortium warned that the sun knocked sales of big-ticket items, such as furniture and homewares. Consumers, they say, focused on the outdoors.

The report concludes: “Given the uncertainty about jobs, customers are still nervous about spending on more expensive, non-essentials.”

So what’s going to change between now and Christmas? It’s hard to tell at this stage. What we do know is that Liverpool’s retail offer has never been stronger – or more tempting.

That’s a positive fact based on developments like Liverpool One and the investments it has sparked among other retailers opting to stay in other parts of town. What we don’t yet know is just how busy our new shops will be and how many seasonal jobs they will provide nor how discounted their goods will have to be to lure us all out in a recession-hit yuletide.

One final thought – the BRC reports further encouraging growth in internet shopping. Non-food non-store sales (internet, mail-order and phone sales) in June were 16.8% higher than a year ago

Are we turning into a nation of stay at home shoppers?