Renegade electronics retailer Ruslan Kogan says his sales increased in volume by 264 per cent in the June 30 year.
Given his company is privately-owned and has no need to reveal sales or trading data, the release was clearly aimed at taking some of the shine of bricks and mortar archrival Harvey Norman, which released its trading figures about the same time. But Harvey Norman claimed increased sales and profits.
Kogan said traffic to kogan.com.au increased 104.28 per cent in FY11 compared to FY 10 which he said demonstrated more people are researching and looking for hot deals online.
Conversion rates (traffic which turned into customers) increased 85 per cent – “showing that shoppers are more willing to make purchases online, especially for big-ticket items,” said Kogan in a statement.
Revenue almost doubled however he did not disclose any dollar figures.
Kogan said the strong figures were indicative of the boom in online retail.
“While traditional retailers are reporting slowdowns and losses, Australian shoppers are reaping the benefits of the best prices and convenience of online stores. We’re innovating our business each and every day to ensure we keep giving consumers exactly what they want at unbeatable prices.
“Traditional retail is struggling, but it doesn’t mean the entire retail industry is in the same boat. We’re experiencing tremendous growth with no sign of slowing down.
“While some bricks and mortar stores will inevitably close down, opportunities abound in the online space. We are creating new jobs every single day, and the team at Kogan has more than doubled over the past year,” Kogan said.