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Retailers reap rewards as online shoppers break records in 2012


WEBWIRE

• Online sales around ‘Mega Monday’ and Boxing Day increase by 70 per cent
• Annual online sales increase 17 per cent compared to 2011 and 300 per cent compared to 2008
• High rise in evening purchases via mobile
• 125 per cent average increase in orders placed on smartphones and tablets for Christmas


Last year was a record year for online shopping with sales up by 70 per cent for the Christmas rush compared to 2011, according to BT’s specialist retail division, BT Expedite and Fresca.

Between December 1 and Boxing Day, BT Expedite and Fresca saw the largest number of orders ever recorded through its Fresca Commerce platform (FCP), the e-commerce solution, behind some of the world’s biggest brands such as Warehouse, Karen Millen and Thomas Pink.

The platform’s busiest shopping day of the year was Monday December 3, which lived up to its name of “Mega Monday” – the term coined by retailers for the first Monday in December. The day saw an increase of 410 per cent of sales in 2012 compared to 2008. Even Boxing Day, which has traditionally always been a busy online sales day, saw a dramatic increase.

After Christmas, the next best performing ecommerce days were Leap Day (February 29) and May Bank Holiday (May 29).

Richard Vining, BT Fresca’s head of FCP performance, said: “Following the success of ‘Mega Monday’ we had a very busy Christmas period where the Fresca Commerce platform handled 69 per cent more orders from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day compared with the same period last year. November and December sales volume was up 1.49 per cent on last year, but December alone was up 8.22 per cent.

“It’s interesting to see just what a recent marketing phenomena ‘Mega Monday’ in the UK and ‘Cyber Monday’ in the US have been; with sales pre-2010 at the same time in December being five times lower.

Last year also saw a mobile revolution in UK shopping, as orders placed on smartphones and tablets increased by 125 per cent during the Christmas shopping period. It’s partly down to this increase in m-commerce that we also saw a growing trend in people shopping in the evening between 9 and 10pm whilst watching TV"


Christmas 2012 Year on Year summary
Order volume: +1.49 per cent
Order value: +3.29 per cent
Average value of each order: +1.77 per cent
2012 Year on Year summary
Order volume: +17 per cent
Order value: +14 per cent
Average value of each order: -3 per cent

Whilst total order numbers grew in 2012, the average value of orders dipped for many retailers, reflecting high levels of promotional activity and reinforcing the trend that more value retailers are moving online.
BT Expedite and Fresca works with a host of retailers, having created online stores for leading fashion and lifestyle brands such as Liberty, Oasis, Matalan, The Perfume Shop and Warehouse.


Notes to editors

About BT Expedite and Fresca

BT Expedite and Fresca is the retail specialist division within BT. It provides solutions to enable multichannel retailers to compete effectively. BT Expedite spans every area of retailing; planning, sourcing, merchandising, store, sales analytics, CRM, plus network infrastructure, hardware and professional services.

BT Expedite’s multichannel capability was reinforced by the acquisition of Fresca in 2008. BT Fresca creates transactional webstores for leading fashion and lifestyle brands in the UK and across the globe.

Customers include Aurora Fashions, Primark, Matalan, Mothercare, New Look, Thomas Pink and WHSmith

For more information, visit www.btexpedite.com



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