Online clothing sales outperform etail market
Published: March 2009
Online sales of clothing, footwear and accessories rose by 21% in February against the previous year, but fell back 6% on January according to the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index.
Despite the monthly decline, clothing, footwear and accessories continued to outperform the etail market as a whole. Total online retail sales were up 13% during the month, but fell back 11% on January. This was the eighth consecutive month of year-on-year sales growth.
“Despite the uncertain economic climate, the e-Retail market continues to grow and shows resilience during the recession. With high street sales remaining flat in February, it is evident that consumers are using the web as a means to making the most of their shrinking disposable income.” Tina Spooner, director of information, IMRG
By contrast sales of lingerie online fell by 14% against last year but were up 10% on January.
The IMRG said the monthly falls from January to February could be attributed to the heavy discounting which took place in January and the fact that there were fewer days in February overall.
Mike Petevinos, head of consulting for retail for Capgemini UK, said: “These results show that the strong post Christmas sales push and a toughening retail market have indeed led to a drop in spending from January to February. However, year on year growth for e-retail continues in stark contrast to the high street. Consumers are still turning to the internet to make their purchase decisions and ensure their disposable income goes further.”
Tina Spooner, director of information at IMRG added: “Despite the uncertain economic climate, the e-Retail market continues to grow and shows resilience during the recession. With high street sales remaining flat in February, it is evident that consumers are using the web as a means to making the most of their shrinking disposable income.”
“Recent research found that 87% of UK consumers are making changes to their spending patterns, with many preferring to plan purchases and avoid impulse buying. Internet shopping allows consumers to achieve these goals, while at the same time offering the convenience, choice and competitive pricing that shoppers demand.”
This article is written by Jessica Price Brown and sourced from www.drapersonline.com
