Inside Retail presents the Australian Retail Index.

The index gives a quick overview of retail statistics in four key categories; fashion and accessories, furniture and homewares, sporting and recreational, and other.

Key retail statistics are shown weekly, with yearly comparisons available.

Consumers predictably closed their wallets last week after the Christmas spending period.

In what is sure to be no surprise, overall spending was down more than 15 per cent from the previous week.

On a positive note for retailers, this is less of a drop off in spending than for the same period last year, which saw a decline of more than 19 per cent.

Retailers will be looking forward to the lift in sales during the first quarter of the year.