UK online retailers sales rose at a faster pace last month as shoppers sought post-Christmas discounts on the Internet, and growth is likely to be maintained throughout the first half of this year, Capgemini UK PLC said yesterday.
Web-based retail sales gained 19 percent from a year earlier, beating the 15 percent average growth rate of the second half of last year, Capgemini said in a report, citing data compiled with Interactive Media in Retail Group.
Britons are looking to the Web for greater choice and price transparency, Capgeminiˇs head of retail consulting Mike Petevinos said. Online clothing and footwear sales recorded the strongest year-on-year growth of 32 percent last month, followed by a 22 percent increase in sales of electrical goods.
"A large part of it would have been for personal shopping and a lot of people deferred their present shopping until the sales started,〃 Petevinos said in a telephone interview. ¨We certainly view this growth as set to continue."
Online sales of beer, wines and spirits showed annual growth of 13 percent last month, though revenue for the month was 62 percent lower than in December "as Christmas excesses were replaced by a January detox," Capgemini said.
About 80 retailers, including Asos PLC, Debenhams PLC and Tesco PLC, contributed data for the report.
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