Online sales in the UK took a slight hit recently, with sales dropping by 5% between the months of May and June.
A report by E-tail trade body IMRG and professional services firm Capgemini coined "the e-Retail Sales Index" shows that while sales in were up in general in June with a 9% year-over-year increase, sales in May dropped by 5%. The primary reason for the slump according to Tina Spooner, chief information officer at IMRG, is the early than expected departure of the England national team from this last World Cup which was held in Brazil.
The initial jump in sales during June came primarily from the online liquor sector, rising by 20% year-over-year with a 17% growth rate between May and June.
"Football fans clearly stocked up their fridges in anticipation for the World Cup, as the beers, wines and spirits sector surged 20% year-on-year last month, and the 17% growth we saw from May to June was the steepest jump between those months we have ever seen in this sector. But during the week England were knocked out we saw a distinct 15% drop in alcohol sales as fans were denied the chance to raise a glass to a repeat of 1966," Spooner stated in the report.
British multinational retailer Marks &Spencer also witnessed a drop in sales between May and June. A spokesperson reported that Online Trading was down by 8.1% year on year, due to customers becoming familiar with Marks &Spencer’s new Ecommerce platform. IMRG and Capgemini’s report shows not only Marks & Spencer experienced a struggle to attract shoppers this summer. A general slump was witnessed across the board close to the dates England tied with Costa Rica, sealing its departure from the World Cup.
"It's fair to say June was not a good month for British sport and the poor performance in the electricals sector – with growth of just 7% year-on-year – suggests Britons were not too interested in buying new technology to watch the action, whilst higher than average temperatures and lots of sunshine kept customers outdoors," Tina Spooner added.
Interestingly enough Mcommerce sales rose in June, with an average of 24,000 mobile sales a day.
Image courtesy of joinfc
