It's all about the clicks over bricks: Online sales stage a January rebound
Figures suggest that online retail might not always suffer the traditional post-holiday blues that traditional stores historically have endured.
National Australia Bank's latest online retail sales index, released on Monday, shows online sales grew 27 per cent to $13 billion for the year to January. Importantly, the growth rate matched the high recorded in November, after a dip in December, reflecting renewed strength in the emerging online sector during what is traditionally a period of weakness after Christmas.
"December might not have been as strong as it normally is, with growth dipping to 23 per cent, but January proved a lot more resilient than previous years and growth bounced back to its November high," said NAB chief economist Alan Oster.
The 27 per cent growth in online sales to January comes as the month has not been a typically strong one for online retailers.
But the growth rate is still way ahead of traditional stores, which were up just 0.4 per cent year-on-year in December on a non-seasonally adjusted basis.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
The National Australia Bank (NAB) online retail sales index showed online sales grew 27% to $13 billion for the year to January.
January's online sales growth bounced back to match the high recorded in November after a dip in December, showing renewed strength in the online sector.
Yes. December saw growth dip to 23%, but January proved more resilient and returned to the higher 27% growth rate.
Online retail was growing much faster—27% year-on-year—while traditional stores were up just 0.4% year‑on‑year in December on a non-seasonally adjusted basis.
Alan Oster noted that while December might not have been as strong as usual with growth dipping to 23%, January proved a lot more resilient than in previous years and growth bounced back to its November high.
The NAB data suggests online retail may not suffer the traditional post-holiday blues as much as physical stores; online sales showed renewed vigour in January despite it not being a typically strong month.
According to the NAB index, online retail sales reached $13 billion for the year to January.
Everyday investors can note the clear acceleration in online retail—27% growth versus 0.4% for traditional stores—which highlights structural strength in e-commerce. This trend may be useful context when evaluating retail sector performance, but investors should combine this data with other research before making decisions.
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