Strong online sales helped by summer shopping sprees

Thursday, July 16, 2015 - 14:12 by Paul Tissington

Consumers getting ready for the summer holidays, by making purchases via safe shopping online, continued to boost the UK’s e-commerce industry last month, according to the latest figures from the British Retail Consortium.

June saw a 17.6 per cent year on year increase in web-based sales, outdoing 2014’s sluggish equivalent month, when growth was at a more muted 10.6 per cent. And retailers are certainly capitalising on the seasonal purchases, with various discounts on fashion items, in particular, helping to increase activity in the online marketplace.

The importance of shopping online should become even more apparent, as a result of the BRC’s findings that almost a fifth of all retail sales made last month were carried out through an e-commerce service of some kind.

This means that the amount of the market left for high street retailers is still shrinking and the eventual dominance of online stores seems inevitable.

Both clothing and footwear sales were on the rise in June, with people preparing for trips overseas or simply spending more time in the garden during peak barbeque season.

BRC spokesperson, Helen Dickinson, said that June saw the strongest growth in online sales since August of last year, with promotional offers run by a number of retailers really helping to boost performance above the anticipated levels predicted by analysts.

Dickinson also pointed out that there is a growing trend for consumers to expect an easy transition between online shopping and in-store visits, perpetuated by the popularity of click and collect as a delivery option.

This means that retailers need to work hard to integrate both the digital and physical experience of making purchases, in order to satisfy the needs of their customers, while also staying ahead of their closest rivals in the market.