Online sales back on track after strong August

E-commerce sales appear to be on the rise again after hitting an 18-month low in July, jumping 14 per cent year on year in August to £5.2bn, according to the latest stats from IMRG and Capgemini.

The two organisations' monthly e-Retail Sales Index found that, although sales fell by six per cent from July, this can be explained by a seasonal dip. Compared to previous years, the drop over the summer was minimal.

Sales rose again in the second half of the month, driven by the Clothing sector which saw a 22 per cent year-on-year rise thanks to summer sales.

The Home & Garden sector also did well, growing 40 per cent, while Travel grew just three per cent versus the 14 per cent growth in August 2010.

According to Capgemini, the rioting across London and other UK cities did not affect online sales.

"August is a tough month for e-retail but this year saw a smaller decline thanks to the solid figures for retailers selling online and in store," said Chris Webster, head of retail consulting and technology at Capgemini.

"However, it's worth noting that, with such a strong performance during the first half of 2011, it's a big ask for e-retail sales to maintain such rapid growth."

Last month, the e-commerce industry finally showed signs of weakening after growth slowed to 11.5 per cent in July, its lowest rate for 18 months. Poor travel sales were largely believed to have been to blame.