Online retailers suffering Black Friday ‘hangover’

Online sales have seen a year-on-year increase in January but are still suffering from a Black Friday ‘hangover’. 

This is according to the latest figures from the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index, which found sales were up 7% in January compare to the same time last year, below the index’s original forecast of 12%.

January also saw a 25% decline on the previous month, however the index said that this was in-line with what would be expected at this time of year.

According to the index British shoppers spent on average £81 per transaction in January, the highest average basket value seen in this month since January 2011.

Alex Smith-Bingham, head of digital, consumer products and retail at Capgemini, said: “January’s Index shows that we have entered 2015 with steady growth in e-retail sales, with a shift in spending to categories such as travel, which offered differentiated promotions in January compared to previous months.”

“However, growth is being held back slightly by other categories, such as electrical and home & garden, which have seen sluggish sales since Black Friday. This suggests that the Black Friday ‘hangover’ has continued into 2015, dampening the traditional sales spike in key, high value categories during the January sales.”