AUGUST TRADE NEWS Bad weather blamed for shopping centre delay Chester council  not supporting retailers New rules 'won't help save retail centre' Irish shoppers look abroad for bargains British consumers spend more on beauty products Yorkshire town gets behind plastic bag reduction scheme Rising obesity prompts calls for VAT rule changes eBay restructures fee scheme to make fixed-priced sales cheaper Online sales boom despite slowdown Music retailer goes out of business Matalan named and shamed for how it treats wholesalers BCC slams higher parking charges proposals Booming wholesaler moves to new warehouse Market traders told to only 'shout quietly' London's retailers show growth despite gloom Counterfeit goods dealer sentenced to prison UK's smallest town protests supermarket plan More retailers and wholesalers going out of business Online retail sector predicted to expand rapidly Henley retailers protest development plans Retail sales continue to slow Tiffany appeals US court's eBay ruling Report criticises electricity suppliers' treatment of small businesses MK retailers protest Tesco expansion plan Yorkshire retailers protest supermarket move Manchester wholesaler shut down over fraud worries Businesses welcome plans to reduce red tape Rate hold accepted by small businesses Internet sales put pressure on the high street Huge counterfeit goods haul in Somerset Irish entrepreneur online retail plans Wholesaler sector set to struggle Staycations could help British retailers Retailers 'gloomy' about economic outlook Retailers report footfall continues to decline as consumers cut back Hidden door reveals huge counterfeiting operation in Manchester shop No recession for the UK this year East London wholesaler goes into receivership London mayor reveals plans to support small retailers Toy retailers defy gloom Retailers urged to embrace online sales Trade News Archive August 08 July 08 June 08 May 08 April 08 March 08 February 08 January 08 Subscribe to our newsletter   Go to The Wholesaler UK Directory 21st August 2008 Online sales boom despite slowdown New figures have indicated that online retail spending has not been affected by the economic malaise affecting the high street. The latest IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index showed that online spending rose in July to over 4.8 billion – the equivalent of £79 for every person in the UK. In total, online sales jumped 11.3 per cent when compared to June's data. The survey's authors suggested that a wet July helped boost online sales. It noted that the electrical sector saw particularly strong growth, helped by demand for the new iPhone and flat-screen televisions ahead of the Olympics. "Gloomy market conditions have not dampened consumers' appetite for shopping online," Mike Petevinos, head of consulting for retail at Capgemini UK, commented. "Online sales continue to show strong growth, particularly when compared to the tough trading conditions on the high street. Jo Evans, the managing director of IMRG, added: "Online retailers are taking full advantage of the present situation by making exceptional offers on their websites, with online sales now in full swing and UK shoppers using the web to search out those bargains, compare prices and ensure they get the best deals." Recently, one independent music retailer revealed that it had been forced out of business by online sellers.     (c) 2008 Adfero Ltd. Sponsor of August Trade News Samsung TV Brackets   Comment on this news story To comment on any story please click on the above link, put the story title in the subject line and please provide your name, trading style ie. retailer or wholesaler and the town where you trade.