Well, that didn’t last long. After a relatively poor showing in July, U.K. e-commerce posted double-digit percentage growth in August, with online sales increasing 18% compared to August 2012, according to estimates from technology consultancy Capgemini and U.K. e-retail association Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG).
July year-over-year growth stood at 9%, the weakest e-commerce growth for the country since January 2010.
“Consumer confidence is returning as the economy is showing signs of improvement,” says Chris Webster, vice president, head of retail consulting and technology at Capgemini. “After a slow July, August has seen a return to the levels of growth we have come to expect from online retail and has, in fact, exceeded our year-on-year growth predictions by three percentage points.”
The groups’ estimates do not come with e-commerce spending figures, but for August:
• Web spending on home and garden products increased 25% year over year in August
• Consumer electronics and apparel spending each increased 18%
• Mobile commerce spending increased 33%
• The average e-retail order value increased 4% compared with July, to 77 U.K. pounds (US$122)