E-Commerce To Witness 12% Growth This Year

According to the new report from IMRG and Capgemini, sales generated via online retail will stage a strong growth of 12% to reach £87 billion this year compared to 2012, as consumers will be increasingly willing to get the maximum value from each transaction they make despite the challenging market conditions.

In December, consumers spent an aggregate £78 billion on online purchases, which resulted in a 17.5% annual increase in sales and a 12% uptick compared with the previous month. December proved a very successful month for UK retailers, pushing the overall growth rate for the entire year to 12%, the latest IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index showed. Mobile phones, including tablets, were among the drivers behind the uptrend in e-commerce, with sales generated via such devices ballooning 304% against 2011.

The researchers, however, recorded a slight decline in conversion rates last year, which implies that consumers are starting to treat the Internet as an area where they can research products rather than buy immediately. This is because consumers want to make sure that they are striking the most advantageous deal possible that will have the smallest impact on their finances.

Chris Webster, head of retail and technology at Capgemini, projects that mobile will gain in importance and become the most common channel retailers will use to draw customers. Retailers are expected to put the greatest effort in reaching consumers via mobile by offering them a more personalised experience, no matter whether they’re at home or on the move and by trying to integrate the online and offline experience.