Half of UK online retailers expect to see 20% year-on-year growth this Christmas, according to IMRG
In its latest survey of senior ecommerce professionals, IMRG found that the percentage of retailers expecting annual growth to reach in excess of 10% over the festive trading period reached 85%, compared with 80% in the same period last year.
Almost half of those surveyed (45%) said they expect ecommerce growth to reach over 20% during Q4. For the same period last year, just over one third of retailers were expecting growth in excess of 20%.
This compares with just over a third of merchants who expected the same level of growth in the final quarter of last year.
Alternative delivery options are at the forefront efforts to maximise the opportunity this presents, the IMRG survey found.
Three-quarters of bricks and mortar retailers will be offering alternative delivery options over the Christmas period, whereas around 40% of the online-only merchants stated they will be offering additional options for delivery. 20% of multichannel retailers will be offering in-store ordering over the festive period.
Tina Spooner, Chief Information Officer, at IMRG comments: “The online retail industry is gearing up for another record-breaking Christmas, with estimated spend in December alone set to reach in excess of £12bn. This year convenience will be key in attracting the lucrative Christmas shoppers and retailers that offer a range of delivery options are likely to be the winners during the festive period.”
