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Meaning & use

same-store sales

noun·Advancedbusinessfinance

Last updated

UK/ˌseɪm stɔː ˈseɪlz/
US/ˌseɪm stɔːr ˈseɪlz/

Meanings

  1. nounpluralbusinessfinance

    The total sales of stores that a company has been running for at least a year, compared with the same period earlier.

    Grammar: Always plural and usually used with a plural verb: same-store sales were up. It appears mainly in business reports, not in everyday talk.

    Patterns

    • same-store sales rose/fell by 5%
    • same-store sales growth
    • report same-store sales

    The chain reported same-store sales growth of 4% in the last quarter.

    Same-store sales fell sharply after the new competitor opened nearby.

    Investors watch same-store sales because they show whether existing shops are getting stronger.

  2. nounbefore a nounbusinessfinance

    Used before another noun to describe a figure or result calculated only from older, established stores.

    Grammar: Comes directly in front of a noun such as growth, figure, or basis, and is written with hyphens.

    Patterns

    • same-store sales figure
    • on a same-store basis
    • same-store sales comparison

    The company publishes a same-store sales figure every month.

    On a same-store basis, revenue was flat.

    Analysts prefer the same-store sales comparison because it ignores new openings.

Common combinations

same-store sales growth
Same-store sales growth slowed to 2% in December.
report same-store sales
Retailers report same-store sales at the end of each quarter.
same-store sales figure
The same-store sales figure excludes shops closed for renovation.
a rise in same-store sales
A rise in same-store sales pleased the board.
on a same-store basis
On a same-store basis, the two years look almost identical.

Synonyms and how they differ

comparable-store sales
A close American equivalent used by some retailers; it means the same thing but is less common.
like-for-like sales
The usual British term for the same idea; use it in UK business writing.

Word family

sales noun
The money a company receives from selling goods or services.
store noun
A shop or retail outlet.

Commonly confused: same-store sales or total sales? same-store sales or same store?

same-store sales vs total sales

Total sales includes every store, including new ones; same-store sales counts only stores open at least a year.

same-store sales vs same store

'Same store' alone is not a standard noun phrase in business; the full term is 'same-store sales'.

Practice

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