Total online sales climbed 22% in May 2010 to £4.5 billion, or an average of £73 per person, according to the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index.
Alcohol sales increased 23% due to the World Cup. Sales of electrical goods grew 13%, which the study said was "perhaps an indication of the surge in flat screen TVs being sold to coincide with the tournament".
Sales of clothes online surged 32% in May aided by a boost in sportswear attributed to the World Cup.
Mintel comment:
There's no doubt that online sales are growing, but this data from IMRG needs a health warning. When IMRG talks about retail sales it refers to much more than the narrow definition used by the Office for National Statistics and which we follow at Mintel. With a few adjustments the ONS figures relate to what can be bought in shops, but excluding high street outlets selling services, such as travel agents and banks. IMRG uses a much wider definition which effectively covers all consumer transactions. The figures quoted by IMRG cannot, therefore, be related to the retail sales statistics. Mintel estimates that online retail sales in 2009 were £17 billion (excl VAT) and that is not comparable with this IMRG estimate.
