Online sales soar ahead of high street

12 April 2012

Online shopping is growing at six times the rate of high-street sales in the run-up to Christmas, figures show today.

Consumers made 11 per cent more purchases on websites last month than they did in November last year, according to the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index. Over the same period high-street sales were up 1.8 per cent.

Online sales of gifts and clothing are the fastest-growing areas.

Retail analysis firm Verdict Research predicts that over the entire festive period retail sales will decline 0.7 per cent compared with last year, while online sales will grow by 14.2 per cent.

Today West End store Liberty said spending on its website between 1 November and 17 December had risen 110 per cent on last year.

John Lewis said internet sales were up 50 per cent in November. Experts predict that British online spending will soar from £1 in £13 to £1 in £5 by 2020 - a rise of £46billion.

Verdict, which made the forecast for eBay, said 2020 would be the online "tipping point" for booksellers and retailers of electricals, music and video.

Last month books chain Borders went into administration, blaming its collapse on online book sales.

Neil Saunders, a consulting director at Verdict, said: "It is a complete change in the way we buy things. Traditional shops simply cannot afford to ignore the growth opportunities available online."

But Richard Perks, of market research firm Mintel, said: "The sectors work well together - research on the high street and a point of order online."

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