For the first year ever, Williams-Sonoma’s online sales accounted for more than 50 percent of the retailer’s total sales in 2014, according to a report by Internet Retailer.
In 2014, the company reported online sales of $2.371 billion in fiscal 2014, up 12.1 percent from $2.115 billion in fiscal 2013, representing 50.5 percent of its total net revenue of $4.699 billion. Internet sales accounted for approximately 75 percent of Williams-Sonoma’s growth, according to the report.
Mobile commerce was a significant contributor to the retailer’s 2014 e-commerce growth, increasing by 100 percent from prior year, Patrick Connolly, executive vice president, told analysts on the retailer’s Q4 2014 earnings call. Although Connolly did not provide the exact mobile sales, Internet Retailer’s 2015 Mobile 500 estimates they were approximately $350 million.
“We’re making great strides in site personalization and built-in customer recognition, then delivering personalized content and also improving the post-purchase experience,” Connolly said during the call with analysts.
CEO Laura Alber told analysts the company will continue to invest in e-commerce, which supports the chain’s stores, to continue to capitalize on the upward trajectory.
“Our strategy with company-owned stores is to complement them with a strong e-commerce presence,” she said. “Of course, we’re investing in e-commerce. You can always make it more intuitive for the customer to shop.”
