UK online sales growth last month fell to its lowest September level since 2014, according to new data.
Year on year online growth for September was 7.5%, compared to the 13% growth seen in the same month last year.
September growth also represented a new 2018 low. For the third quarter overall this year, YOY growth was 10.1% and for the second quarter 17.1%, according to the latest IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index.
Clothing bore the brunt of the slowdown, with growth at just 2.2% compared to a five-year September average of 7.4%.
Sales via smartphones saw 16.1% YOY growth in the month, down from the 55.8% recorded last year. It showed the smartphone e-commerce market was maturing, according to IMRG.
IMRG strategy and insight director Andy Mulcahy said the figures also showed consumers had less disposable income following the royal wedding and summer heatwave.
“Beyond that, shopper confidence appears to have fallen at a time when numerous retailers are putting out profit warnings and announcing store closures,” he said.
“Meanwhile, several retailers have spoken publicly about the scale of discounting that has been active across various retail sites, meaning that the industry is already heavily involved in discounting before we even get near to Black Friday. The conversion rate was markedly down in September; could it possibly be that people are already browsing for ideas, in the knowledge that Black Friday will inevitably bring heavier discounts?”
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