Online retailers outperform the high street
E-commerce continues to outperform the high street as online sales rise 15% in March, compared to last year.
According to the latest IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index, shoppers spent £4.5bn online in March, up from £3.9bn in the same month in 2009.
According to the latest KMPG London Retail Sales Monitor, retail sales in central London were 9.9% higher in March than last year as the earlier Easter break and mid-season sales and promotions attracted shoppers.
Multi-channel retailers that have a presence online and on the high street showed the strongest performance with sales up by 28% year on year. Sales for retailers with a purely online presence are up by only 1% on March 2009.
The home and garden category saw the strongest monthly growth online, up 42% on February, as consumers looked towards springtime redecorating and renovating, although sales were down 5% on last year.
Clothing sales were up 27% on the previous month, and up 18% year on year.
Tina Spooner, director of information at IMRG, says: “There is a strong trend emerging showing that high street retailers with an online presence are playing an increasingly significant role in the e-retail sector. Retailers with a diverse multi-channel offering will no doubt continue to reap the rewards of their investment in the online space.”
