Actinic’s
poll reports 60% growth over 2003 Christmas period
4 January
2005 ~ Growth in internet commerce has not slowed
down and may even be accelerating, according to the fourth
annual Christmas poll conducted by Actinic Software amongst
a sample of small and medium retailers selling on the net.
The companies
surveyed reported an average 60% increase in web sales during
November and December 2004, compared with the same period
in 2003. In 2003 the corresponding year-on-year increase in
orders was 30%. Sites polled ranged from 2004 startups taking
a handful of orders, to mature ecommerce sites processing
several thousand. The average number of orders over the period
was 1520.
Some online
retailers were almost overwhelmed by the increase in orders.
Chris Burslem of Online Paper (www.on-linepaper.co.uk)
comments, “At one point during November we nearly switched
the web catalogue off so we could catch up with the sheer
volume of orders coming at us, not only from the UK, but from
all over the world.”
Sites also
reported an average 80% increase in online turnover –
indicating that the average order value has risen, as well
as the average number of orders.
Some, such
as Mega City Comics (www.megacitycomics.co.uk),
note a corresponding decline in offline sales. Julian McIntosh
of www.safariquip.co.uk
remarks that, “Web sales are expected to overtake over-the-counter
retail sales early in 2005. The rate of web growth is making
us consider ecommerce a safer and less costly alternative
to bricks and mortar growth into new branches.”
The retailers
surveyed were overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic about
their internet ventures. Nigel Thornbory of Highly Strung
International, www.highlystrung.co.uk,
offers this advice for retailers considering taking the plunge
into online trading: “If you have products worth selling
and can deliver them quickly and efficiently, then your business
will grow provided you follow two simple rules. Never advertise
anything you haven't got in stock, and never make promises
you can't keep.”
Actinic CEO
Chris Barling concludes, “We may be seeing the first
signs that the internet is impacting not just High Street
sales, but also the inclination of retailers to expand their
real-world outlets. Each year adds to the feeling that the
original dot-com boom hype wasn't so much wrong as too early”.
|
