Multi-Channel Retailers ‘Strong During Festive Season’

by Stephen Logan on 27th January 2010

High Street brands that had an online channel open during Christmas were particularly successful in terms of sales, according to an industry expert.

Jon Parry, principal retail consultant at Capgemini, claimed that month-on-month growth for such companies stood at 13 per cent for December.

In his view, this is because high street stores have a trust advantage, particularly when it comes to returning unwanted gifts after the Christmas holidays.

Mr Parry suggested that this is why those enterprises that chose to market themselves on the internet using techniques such as SEO services recorded positive results for the period.

He added: "Once again, consumers have turned to the internet to do their Christmas shopping, with 17 per cent growth year on year this December."

These comments follow the release of the IMRG/Capgemini sales index, which predicted that online retail could grow by 13 per cent in 2010.

Earlier this month, IMRG reported that Christmas Day online sales for 2009 enjoyed a 29 per cent year-on-year increase.