Shop Direct Group reports 28% of all online sales in run up to Christmas came from mobile
Shop Direct Group has today announced its figures for the run up to Christmas 2012, revealing that total sales were up five per cent, with an 150 per cent increase in mobile sales from 2011.
The report stated that 80 per cent of total sales were completed online, up from 74 per cent in 2011.
Group CEO, Alex Baldock, said: “This Christmas was well ahead of last year against strong comparatives, demonstrating that our combination of great products, market-leading financial services and unique e-commerce capabilities is hitting the right note. Peak trading came later than ever, highlighting customers’ growing trust in the online and mobile retail model and our ability to deliver.
“These results provide a solid foundation for us to build on as we accelerate our trajectory to become a world-class digital department store.
“At a product level, 2012 was undoubtedly the year of the tablet. In the run-up to Christmas, we sold one tablet every 40 seconds, connecting more than 91,000 households over the festive season. This rapid and continued rise in tablet adoption was also reflected in our sales channel mix. Mobile devices accounted for a record 28 per cent of our total online sales, with tablets driving two-thirds of those.
“Post-Christmas, we expect sales to slow as we head towards Easter and to remain broadly flat for the year. With consumer confidence remaining subdued, retailers will have to fight even harder to win market share. To ensure we remain a winner, we will continue to invest in delivering a great digital shopping experience for our millions of customers, whenever, wherever and however they choose to shop with us.”
The Shop Direct Group report also found that 37 per cent of all online customer interactions now via a mobile device, as well as an eight per cent increase in average mobile order value over last 12 months.