22 June 2010

Online retail sales rise by 22 per cent

New figures have revealed that online retail sales increased by 22 per cent in May - the strongest monthly growth in the sector since June 2008.

Shoppers in the UK spent £4.5 billion online last month, according to Marketing magazine. This is equivalent to £73 for every person in the country.

Some of the strongest areas of growth occurred in clothing, which rose by 32 per cent year-on-year and may have been influenced by the changing weather, as well as alcohol sales, which increased by 23 per cent thanks to discounted price offers.

Sales of electrical goods also increased by 14 per cent over 2009, which could indicate that consumers have more disposable income than last year. The increase could also be due to the explosive growth of smartphones.

The figures were reported in the latest e-retail sales index published by the Interactive Media Retail Group. IMRG director of information, Tina Spooner, said: "With online sales growing at their highest rate in almost two years, this is good news for the e-retail industry. The fine weather in May, together with the build-up to the World Cup, appears to have had a positive impact for e-retailers."

It was previously reported that Britain is Europe's top online spender, with UK consumers accounting for 30 per cent of total online retail sales in the continent in 2009.

With more consumers expected to abandon high street stores in favour of greater discounts and convenience online, the online retail market is predicted to expand by 19.6 per cent in 2010 across Europe as a whole.

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