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.

In a very positive sign for retailers, retail sales across the country have posted strong positive gains over the last week.

In an expected pre-Christmas spending spree, consumers have hit the stores and opened their wallets with overall sales lifting by almost two per cent on the previous week.

The fashion and accessories sector showed the most positive improvement with an impressive growth of 11.15 per cent on the previous week, a stunning turnaround.

All other sectors apart from other general retail showed positive gains of close to the two per cent mark.

It is shaping up to be a bumper Christmas period for retailers.