Mobile revenues for retailers in the UK went up by 79% in December compared to the same period in 2016, as mobile drove online sales up over the festive period.
According to research by ecommerce and digital agency Visualsoft, online retail sales during December increased by a third compared to the previous year. The research — of more than 1,600 UK retailers ‑— also found that total sales revenues (for all channels) were up by a quarter (25%) year-on-year, compared to figures from 2016.
Shoppers also spent more online in December than the previous year, with the average order value rising by 24%.
Despite figures from ONS revealing that retail sales in December fell by 1.5% compared to November 2017, the findings from Visualsoft highlight a positive confidence in online retail in general and in mobile in particular.
The ecommerce agency said that these results showed that the retail industry might not be as troubled as some analysts claim.
Tim Johnson, chief sales officer at Visualsoft, explains: “While we’ve seen a mix of performance results from the UK’s top retailers, overall December sales results have been positive and online sales in particular have continued to soar. It’s been promising to see some of the online growth captured by traditional retailers that have built up their e-commerce operations to meet customers’ needs, and there have also been some strong, notable figures from younger retailers that recognise the importance of investing in their online offering as more consumers head online.”
He continues: “Given the current climate, customers are going to be more cautious and considered with their spending, so retailers need to understand what their customers want and focus on both delivering on that niche and delivering a great experience for them – something the bigger players may have lost along the way.”
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