Online sales in the UK made a strong start to 2013 with a 16% year-on-year increase that washigher than the overall 12% growth forecast for the full year, according to the latest IMRG
Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index.The January sales figure represented a month-on-month decline of 27% on December 2012, which isa common trend following the peak Christmas shopping period, IMRG noted. However, it was aparticularly encouraging start to the year since IMRG and Capgemini are forecasting that theBritish online retail market will grow by 12% in 2013.
The clothing sector continued to perform well following a largely disappointing 2012, with salesof seasonal ranges affected by unpredictable weather patterns. The sector was up 23% on January2012, the highest for the sector since July 2011.
The growth of retail sales through mobile devices (including tablets) is showing signs ofslowing, though they were still up by a massive 193%. Mobile sales in 2012 were up 304% on 2011,though in December 2012 growth slowed to 207%. Conversion rates through mobile devices are risinghowever, reaching 2.6% in January. This is the second month that the conversion rate has hit a newrecord, following the 2.1% recorded in December 2012.
Tina Spooner, Chief Information Officer at IMRG, commented: “The strong finish to the year wesaw in 2012 has continued into the new year it seems, with the Index up 16% on January 2012. Theclothing sector struggled at times last year in comparison with its performance in previous years,but we’ve had seven months of double-digit growth now so perhaps it was a blip caused by the heavyrainfall we saw throughout 2012.
She added: “The growth of mobile sales may be showing signs of slowing, but it is coming from avery high base and 193% is still very strong. What is apparent is that consumers are becoming moreconfident in purchasing through mobile devices, as the experience on mobile sites improves. Theconversion rate has doubled in the space of a year, rising from 1.3% in January 2012 to 2.6% inJanuary 2013.”
Chris Webster, VP of Consumer Products and Retail at Capgemini, commented: “More of us areseeing our smart phones and tablets as the smarter choice for shopping, with the proportion ofdirect purchases from mobile devices doubling in the space of a year. Growth may be slowing asmobile shopping becomes ubiquitous, but don’t mistake this for a decline. Mobile commerce is hereto stay. We’re no longer just seeing consumers shopping from their sofas at home, but insteadspotting products in store and choosing to instead purchase online on the grounds of cost orconvenience.”
Over 100 UK-based e-retailers regularly contribute data to the IMRG Capgemini Index, which waslaunched in April 2000. The Index tracks ‘online sales’, which are defined as ‘transactionscompleted fully, including payment, via interactive channels’ from any location, includingin-store.
