Strong sales over the Black Friday period were, however, not enough to offset poorer performance in the rest of the Golden Quarter for a number of retailers. Many retailers also experienced slower sell-through of sale stock after Christmas, including major players Next and John Lewis & Partners as the prolific promotions in 2019 may have led to discounting fatigue among shoppers. Previously the sweetheart of UK multichannel retail, Joules reported a 4.5% drop in total sales over the Christmas trading period despite good performance during Black Friday, though this was significantly impacted by poor stock availability. John Lewis & Partners reported a 2.3% drop in total sales in Christmas trading despite 10% growth over Black Friday, indicating that even though the promotional period seems to extend every year, this did not have enough impact in a tough market