Retail sales over the internet have fallen for the first time ever on the latest Experian Footfall Index, but supermarkets are performing well in this area, the company said today.
Between October 2007 and the same month this year, Experian (a Hitwise company) said, traffic to online retailers dipped 0.5%, although traffic to supermarkets year-on-year is up 10%.
Contradictory figures were released this week by MyVoucherCodes, which said online grocery sales have overtaken sales of electronic goods for the first time.
Director of research at Hitwise Robin Goad said: “Up until now, online retail has been surviving the economic downturn, but this month’s data proves that the sector is not immune.”
He added: “Although there has been a small increase in demand for online grocery shopping, the main growth area for supermarkets has been high-ticket consumer electronics goods.”
Supermarkets are driving their traffic by investing heavily in search marketing campaigns, Goad said.
The internet is rapidly changing the way retailers manage and operate their businesses. Read more in reports.
