The group's figures showed that £46.6 billion was spent online
in 2007, 54% more than was spent in 2006, according to the IMRG
Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index. A third of all sales happened in
the Christmas period, with £15.2 billion being spent online in
December.
Anthoula Madden, vice president of consumer products and retail
at Capgemini, said: “Whilst we are yet to see high streets sales
decline there can be no doubt online is growing its share at the
expense of bricks and mortar retailers and we believe that this
trend will continue."
The research showed that shops can stem the flow of spending
online, but only by embracing e-commerce themselves.
"Our research shows that the retailers who have both a high
street and an online presence seem to have done better than the
‘pure-plays’, so the multichannel strategy seems to be paying off,"
said an IMRG statement on the results. "We have seen strong results
from retailers such as John Lewis and Sainsbury’s, who have spent
time and effort revamping their website and addressing their supply
chain delivery capability."
Electronics were a major growth area for online sales, with that
sector enjoying online sales growth of 60% for the month of
December. Increases in clothing and alcohol were more modest, at
28% and 20% respectively.
"Consumer behaviour has changed dramatically over the last few
years and really is the driving force behind many of the changes in
the e-retail landscape," said IMRG chief executive James Roper. "If
retailers intend to be part of the future retail scene, they need
to develop a robust online presence, and that is getting harder as
the sophistication of channel increases and customers expectations
rise”.
The research identified by the research was a marked increase in
online spending after and even on Christmas day. Four million
people shopped online on Christmas day, spending £84 million, it
found.
"The sort of products customers are looking for on Christmas Day
are TVs, mobile phones, digital cameras, MP3 players, digital photo
frames, washing machines, tumble driers, fridges and freezers,"
said DeVere Forster, director of Dixons.co.uk. "They are often able
to snap up sales bargains in comfort, rather than fighting the
crowds on the high street on Boxing Day.”
