Direct sales, which include web and catalog sales, increased 5.5% while e-commerce grew by a double-digit percentage for the apparel retailer.

E-commerce continues to drive growth at apparel retailer Lands’ End, and with that in mind, CEO Jerome Griffith says the retailer will invest more in the channel.

Lands’ End reported direct revenue, which consists of its catalog and e-commerce business, of $259.9 million during its fiscal second quarter of 2017 ended July 28, up 5.5% from $246.4 million during the same time last year.

E-commerce grew by an unspecified double-digit percentage year-over-year during the quarter. For the first six months of fiscal 2017, Lands’ End, No. 49 in the Internet Retailer 2017 Top 500, reported direct revenue of $488.2 million, up 2.0% from $478.6 million last year.

The uptick is welcome news for Lands’ End, which experienced across-the-board sales declines in fiscal 2016 ended Jan. 27. Direct sales, its largest channel, fell 5.0 % for the year. The first quarter of fiscal 2017 didn’t improve much, as direct sales for the period ended April 28 declined 1.7% compared with the year-ago quarter.

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With online sales growing in Q2, Griffith says Lands’ End is working to make online shopping more convenient for shoppers. The retailer is reviewing the technologies and platforms it uses for e-commerce, he says. “We also intend to integrate emerging technologies so our customers have the tools necessary to easily explore, shop and utilize and share social feedback on our products regardless of the device they use,” he told analysts on the retailer’s Q2 2017 earnings call Thursday morning, according to a transcript from Seeking Alpha.

Griffith did not specify when he expects Lands’ End to update or change its e-commerce technology or which vendors it may consider. The retailer uses SalesForce as its e-commerce platform, according to Top500Guide.com.

For the fiscal second quarter ended July 28, Lands’ End reported:

  • Net revenue of $302.2 million, up 3.5% from $292.0 million during the same time last year.
  • Retail (store) sales of $42.2 million, down 7.3% from $45.5 million.
  • A same-store sales increase, including e-commerce, of 3.8%.
  • A net loss of $3.9 million, compared with a $2.0 million loss.

For the first six months of fiscal 2017, Lands’ End reported:

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  • Net revenue of $570.6 million, up 0.9% from $565.4 million during the same time last year.
  • Retail (store) sales of $82.2 million, down 5.2% from $86.7 million.
  • A net loss of $11.7 million, compared with a $7.7 million loss.
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