Did you know that about 1/5th of non-food sales
made in Dec '13 was through the internet, which represented a 1/6th increase
over the previous year (Source BRC - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25671561).
IMRG predicts that in 2014, the online sales will
increase 17% to £107 bn! That's an incredible sum, out of which almost 6% were
made through mobiles and tablets.
The winners and losers
Some of the major firms who have reported growing
profits are those that have embraced the internet and online shopping. This
includes Next, Johnlewis, Asos. While those that have been slow to jump into
the i-bandwagon have been reporting plummeting sales -- like Morrisons, Tesco & M & S.
John Lewis, which has been a poineer in internet
marketing clocks 30 % of its total sales via the internet (for the year 2013).
This is an increase from 25% in the previous year. Over half of the traffic to
Johnlewis.com is through mobile devices.
The future is internet and m-retail
With such incredible numbers being reported via
online sales, companies that embrace the internet and provide customers online
shopping will thrive. While those that are slow to do so will face tough
trading conditions.
Technology has had a hugely disruptive impact on
businesses like never before in the history of trade and commerce. Information
and feedback on products and services are available on the click of a mouse or
swipe on mobile. The way businesses respond to this opportunity / challenge
will chart their future course.
We would thus urge businesses to invest in
internet sales / platforms to grasp this opportunity to not just keep up with
competition, but to surge ahead.
Talk to us today if you would like more information. See
what our customers say about our services.