IBM: 20% online growth in Q1

Armond, N.Y. -- First quarter online shopping in 2013 grew more than 20% over the same period last year, and more than five times in-store sales growth, helping drive up department store and home goods purchases, according to the IBM Online Retail Index.



The IBM Index comes on the heels of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Census Bureau report which announced in-store sales for the January through March 2013 period were up 3.7%.



The IBM Online Retail Index also found:

• Mobile sales growth of 31% due to with mobile site traffic increasing close to 40%, due to improved customer experience, and iPad and tablet use;

• Department stores are responding to showrooming trend with 32% in mobile sales and 34% growth in average order value from aggressive omni-channel strategies’; and

• Home Improvement mobile sales grow 80% as summer approaches.