IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index: Electrical sector set to boom as Brits gripped by football fever

16 Jun 2014

London: The latest figures from the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index have revealed the impact sunshine and football fever had on online retail sales in May, recording a growth of 17% year-on-year (YoY); an impressive 20% excluding travel. This equates to £8.2 billion spent online, as British shoppers splashed out on new clothing and electrical items to enjoy the World Cup.

The Electrical sector surged 19% in May, but based on previous figures during major summer football tournaments, IMRG and Capgemini predict the World Cup could result in a huge 30% increase in sales during June. The previous World Cup in 2010 and the European Championships in 2012, resulted in an increase of 26% and 35% respectively as football fans upgraded their TVs to watch their teams

The Clothing sector also reported a strong performance in May, thanks to the spell of dry and warm weather during the latter half of the month¹, with sales up 19% YoY. Accessories performed particularly well, with a 30% YoY increase. Promises of a sweltering summer² helped give the Garden sector an additional boost, reaching 20% YoY as shoppers prepare themselves for BBQs and garden parties.

Tina Spooner, Chief Information Officer, IMRG, commented: “Once again, the UK online retail market recorded solid annual growth last month, and excluding travel sales, the impressive 20% year-on-year performance is well ahead of our 2014 growth forecast. Consumers are also spending more when shopping online with the average basket value in May reaching £88, the highest level recorded in two years.

“As with all major sporting events, retailers are gearing up for the World Cup and over the coming weeks we expect to see a surge in sales of televisions and home entertainment systems as football fans hope to see England progress to the final stages of the competition from the comfort of their own homes.”

Chris Webster, Vice President, Head of Retail Consulting and Technology at Capgemini, said: “The Index continues to be a bellwether for the UK economy and consumer behaviour. This month it has illustrated just how influential large sporting events can have on the retail sector and how World Cup fever has well and truly gripped the UK. This has resulted in an increase in the sale of electrical items which will have grown further in the first half of the month. Just how long that growth continues may ell depend on how far England progress through the tournament as patriotic fans invest in bigger and better TVs to cheer on their team.”

[1] http://www.theweathernetwork.com/uk/news/articles/may-2014-weather-review/28707/ [2] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2636595/Get-ready-sweltering-summer-Forecasters-reveal-April-joint-hottest-record-El-Nino-set-arrive-claim-FEWER-hurricanes.html

Notes:
About the ‘IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index’
The IMRG Capgemini Index, which was started in April 2000, tracks ‘online sales’, which we define as ‘transactions completed fully, including payment, via interactive channels’ from any location, including in-store.
Over one hundred e-retailers now regularly contribute data to the IMRG Capgemini Index, including A. Hume Country Clothing, Addict, Airport Parking & Hotels Ltd, Alison at Home, Amara, Appliance House, Arcadia Group (Burton, Top Man, Top Shop, Dorothy Perkins, Evans, Wallis, Miss Selfridge), Ask Direct, ASOS.com, B&Q, Bank, Berry Bros & Rudd, Binends.com, Blacks, Boden.co.uk, Boohoo.com, Boots Direct, Brora, Buyagift.com, Carphone Warehouse, Charles Tyrwhitt, Clarks, Crocus.co.uk, Dabs.com, Damart, Debenhams, Deckers, Dune, Dunelm Mill, Effortless Skin, Ethical Superstore, Firebox, First Choice, Freemans Grattan Holdings (Freemans, Grattan, Look Again, Kaleidoscope, Curvissa, Swimear365, Witt International UK), Game, Get The Label, Getting Personal.co.uk, Greenfingers.com, Hobbs, Home & Cook, JD Sports, J D Williams, John Lewis Partnership, Ladderstore.com, Lastminute.com, LK Bennett, Lookfantastic.com, M and M Direct, Majestic Wine, Marks & Spencer, Matalan, Millets, Moss Bros, Naked Wines, NaturalCollection.com, New Look, Next, Perfect Handbags Perricone MD, PetPlanet.co.uk, Philip Kingsley, PIXmania, Prezzybox.com, Purely Gadgets, QVC, Redfoot Revolution, Richer Sounds, Sainsbury’s, Scales Express, Schuh, Scotlight Direct, Scott, Shoe-Shop.com, Shop Direct Home Shopping (Brand Quarter, Kays, Littlewoods, Very, Isme, Woolworths), Serenata Flowers, Size, Sofa and Home, Sparkling Strawberry, Sunshine.co.uk, SuperGA, Tesco.com, The Body Shop, The Mat Factory, , The White Company, This is Pulp, ToxicFox, TUI UK, Turton Wines, Waitrose, Wilkinson Hardware & Wynsors World of Shoes.
About IMRG
IMRG (Interactive Media in Retail Group) is the UK’s industry association for e-retail. Formed in 1990, IMRG is setting and maintaining pragmatic and robust e-retail standards to enable fast-track industry growth, and facilitates its community of members with practical help, information, tools, guidance and networking. The strength of IMRG is the collective and cooperative power of its members. For more information please visit http://www.imrg.org/ or email membership@imrg.org
About Capgemini
With more than 130,000 people in over 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2013 global revenues of EUR 10.1 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organisation, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience^TM, and draws on Rightshore^®, its worldwide delivery model.
Learn more about us at www.uk.capgemini.com.
Rightshore^® is a trademark belonging to Capgemini

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IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index: Electrical sector set to boom as Brits gripped by football fever

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