Online sales proved the “star of the show” for Domino’s Pizza, as it reported on a year in which it saw both its first £2m ecommerce day and more than half of its orders placed over the internet.
Domino’s Pizza Group UK and Ireland said in a trading update today that 55.7% of its deliveries were ordered online in 2012, up from 44.3% in 2011. Total online sales came in at £268.6m last year, 46.3% up on 2011. Some 19.7% of its online orders were placed over mobile devices, 187% more than in 2011, when 10.1% of deliveries were ordered by mobile. “The star of the show,” said the trading statement, “continues to be online sales.” In the fourth quarter of the year alone, the 14 weeks to December 30, ecommerce sales rose by 56.6% to £84.1m.
Online growth helped boost total sales for the year by 12.7% to £598.6m, and like-for-like sales by 5%. In the fourth quarter of the year total sales grew by 20% to £174.5m, and like-for-likes by 5%.
Elsewhere the company reported strong sales growth in its German stores, and said a programme of relocations and refurbishments would start in its Swiss stores in 2013. It opened 69 stores across its territories, including 57 in the UK and Ireland.
Chief executive Lance Batchelor said full-year profits would be in line with market expectations. He said: “Our like-for-like sales growth in our core UK market has been good and we have opened a record number of stores across the group. We are excited by the positive signs in Germany and the group as a whole is well-placed for further growth.
“I would like to pay tribute to the way in which our franchisees continue to drive their businesses forward, splitting territories to capitalise on potential sales and winning market share using a wide variety of sales and marketing initiatives to make sure that Domino’s remains the customers’ choice.”
