Postal strike hits online sales and visitor numbers
A survey of online retailers carried out by IMRG has found that 85% believe the continued threat of postal strike action will discourage customers from placing orders with them for Christmas.
A third of those surveyed have experienced a shortfall in visitor numbers, averaging 24%, and two-thirds have seen a near average 30% fall in revenue since the strike began.
Asked whether they were receiving specific enquiries from consumers about delivery arrangements in relation to the threatened strike action nearly 82% of the retailers surveyed said they had.
And, in a worrying development for Royal Mail, 60% of retailers were finding their new carrier arrangements proving more efficient and over two-thirds were considering not returning to Royal Mail after the strike.
“It is no surprise that online retailers are becoming more concerned as the strike develops,” says David Smith, director of operations at IMRG. “Christmas is the most important sales period of the year for most retailers and any year on year shortfall will affect them greatly. Although we have seen year-on-year sales averaging 14% growth during 2009, with the long climb out of recession and continued faltering consumer confidence the Christmas sales period will prove a challenge for most retailers even without the strike action”.
“Last week the websites of high street retailers received 16.5% more UK internet visits than the online-only retail players,” says Hitwise’s Robin Goad. “This compares with 9.3% for the same week last year. Although it should be stated that this is a long term trend and the gap between the two categories has been increasing for a while, there is a danger that more cautious customers may choose retailers with physical locations when ordering online in the run up to Christmas”.
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Our visits and sales are up significantly since the postal strikes were commenced, perhaps because we offer “e-Gift Vouchers” which can be sent via email instead of the post. We believe UK online shoppers weren’t deterred during the strikes, but instead were looking for online retailers who could continue to meet their needs.
Postal strike hits online sales and visitor numbers: A third of internet retailers have seen visitor numbers dr.. http://bit.ly/3vZUQC
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Postal strike hits online sales and visitor numbers: A third of internet retailers have seen visitor numbers dr.. http://bit.ly/3vZUQC
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RT @etail Postal strike hits online sales and visitor numbers: 1/3 of internet retailers have seen visitor numbers drop http://bit.ly/3vZUQC
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
RT @etail Postal strike hits online sales and visitor numbers: 1/3 of internet retailers have seen visitor numbers drop http://bit.ly/3vZUQC
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Really surprising! Postal strike hits online sales and visitor numbers http://tinyurl.com/yl3d5zn
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Postal strike hits online sales and visitor numbers http://bit.ly/2LbAm6
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Postal strike hits online sales and visitor numbers http://bit.ly/3oNegY
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Royal Fail – at least the High St will pick up! http://bit.ly/1WYhB0
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http://bit.ly/uFKF : Internet Retailing » Postal strike hits online sales and visitor … http://bit.ly/3I9zev
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Reading: “Internet Retailing » Postal strike hits online sales and visitor numbers” (http://twitthis.com/9c2ngl)
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Postal strike hits online sales and visitor numbers says IMRG survey – http://bit.ly/2mptlp
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RT @webmarketplace: Postal strike hits online sales and visitor numbers says IMRG survey – http://bit.ly/2mptlp
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Postal Strike hits online visitors and numbers. A third of those surveyed has seen average traffic decrease of 24% http://bit.ly/2LbAm6
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More on the postal strike: http://bit.ly/2dTAJE. Growing concern among online retailers of a shortfall in sales & visitors
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whoa boy. don’t envy uk online retailers right now: RT @ukretail More on the postal strike: http://bit.ly/2dTAJE #ecommerce
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Postal strike horrors. http://bit.ly/2LbAm6 Was with a man who said sales were down 30% this morning.
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