Black Friday didn't help retail sales last month.
The official figures show that sales volumes dropped in November.
Stores are entering a crucial time of the year for sales in the fall and it could be bad news.
People were buying Christmas food early in order to save money.
The Office for National Statistics said that sales at food stores increased last month.
Christmas dinner will be 22% more expensive this year than it will be in 2021, according to research done for the Beeb.
"November retail sales fell, driven by a notable drop for online retailers, with Black Friday offers failing to provide their usual lift in this sector," said ONS director of economic statistics.
He pointed out that the longer Black Friday sales period had drawn in more customers and that department stores had reported better sales.
The ONS said that sales at clothing stores increased by 2% due to a better performance from shoe stores.
Kevin Bright, an analyst at McKinsey and Co., said the figures suggest shoppers are focused on essentials.
As wages struggle to keep up with rising prices, the UK is predicted to see its biggest drop in living standards on record.
The cost of living went up by 10.7% in the year to November, according to figures out this week.
Melanie Thompson is the proprietor of a wine and cheese shop in the Piece Hall.
People used to buy a whole case of wine. Some of the spirits they have at home are being used to buy one or two bottles.
The shop has seen a decrease in customers from further away, but more locals visit.
Natalie Berg said that Black Friday had been a flop.
She said that the appeal of Black Friday has been diminished due to shoppers cottoning on to the fact that prices are not always at their lowest on the day.
Retailers are sitting on a lot of inventory and have seen a constant stream of discounts since September.
The boss of the Waterstones bookshop chain, James Daunt, told the BBC that most retailers were expecting 2023 to be a time to focus on the basics because it was going to be.
Shoppers are spending less money due to higher energy bills and interest rates.
Books do very well and continue to be resilient, but we also rely on our neighbours being full of people and the health of retail footfall." "Everyone suffers when everything is going down," Mr Daunt said.
Online retailers saw their non-store sales fall last month. Since Covid restrictions were lifted, this figure has been decreasing, but online sales are still above pre-pandemic levels.
Gary Grant, the chairman of The Entertainer, said that the postal strikes and the weather had led to a swing from the web sales to their shops.
He said he would walk out of the shop with the carton under his arm if he was buying something for his children.
If people want to get Christmas gifts on time, they need to shop in stores.
The surprise fall in retail sales is not a good sign for the Christmas trading period because they were expected to rise.
A quarter of The Entertainer's annual sales take place in a single month, and next week will account for 8% of its entire year's turnover, according to Mr. Grant.
Industrial strikes and extreme weather have made it harder for consumers to spend money.
She said it was likely to be a disappointing end to the year.
Adam Woods reports additional information.
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