Online sales continue to grow compared with high street sales,
reaching £4.5bn in May, a rise of 1.6% over April and equivalent to
£73 per person, according to the latest figures from researchers
IMRG/Capgemini.
Fashion goods and shoes were hot sectors, following the release
of film Sex & the City, and alcohol and electrical sales were
down because of England's non-participation in Euro 2008, they
said.
Alison Lancaster, marketing director at bespoke shirt-maker
Charles Tyrwhitt, said, "We are delighted our web sales continue to
show double-digit like-for-like growth in today's challenging
market. For May 2008, sales at ctshirts.co.uk grew by 10.8% against
the same period last year across our three key markets - UK, USA
and Germany."
Jo Evans, MD of IMRG, said, "Increasingly, internet shopping is
just the normal way of doing things and buying stuff. Shopping
search is now so good that it reliably finds everything that's out
there and available to buy. For many young people, the high street
is an alien shopping environment the internet is all they know.
"
David Walmsley, head of web sales at John Lewis Direct, said,
"Trading continues to be challenging but Johnlewis.com saw good
sales on electricals and consumer electronics through May, with new
lines such as John Lewis' own-brand 'Collection' large kitchen
appliances continuing to appeal to our customers."
Some 60 UK retailers report online sales to make up the IMRG
Capgemini Index.