Shop Direct says the first week of December was a record one for the business, thanks to a growing consumer confidence in online shopping. On December 6 alone the online and home shopping group saw orders peak at £8,000 an hour, with bestsellers including a red pencil dress by Holly Willoughby (pictured above).
Meanwhile the company delivered a million toys, and saw ‘exceptional’ growth in the sales of clothing and footwear, led by outerwear and knitwear, during the cold snap.
The update on Christmas trading came as Shop Direct today issued a trading update for the six weeks to December 31.
In that time, 70% of orders were placed online, with total sales for the period up by 5% compared to the same time last year. Orders placed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day were up by 10% compared to last year.
Shop Direct Group runs brands including Very.co.uk, Littlewoods, and Woolworths.co.uk and singled out very.co.uk for its 36% rise in sales and 40% growth in customer numbers. That kind of growth, accompanied by a rise in sales at Littlewoods, gave the group “the confidence to launch a new brand,” the company said. As we reported on Friday, isme is aimed at fashion-conscious women in their fifties and above and is fronted by Lose Women panelist Lynda Bellingham.
Mark Newton-Jones, Shop Direct Group chief executive, said: “This is another strong peak trading performance for Shop Direct, demonstrating the increasing confidence customers have to do more of their Christmas shopping online. All of our key brands delivered a fantastic performance over the peak trading period, with clothing and footwear, as well as toys significantly exceeding last year’s sales.”
