Chico’s credits web site improvements for a rise in Internet/catalog sales
While comparable store sales were down 5.6% in Q2 from a year earlier, web and catalog sales at Chico’s FAS Inc. increased 42% to $17 million from $12 million a year ago. The company attributes the strong increase to improvements in its web site, an updated approach to merchandising on the web and improvements to its call center infrastructure.
The company does not break out how much of the $17 million it attributes to the web and how much to catalogs. “The company intends to continue making such improvements to further promote sales through these channels,” the company says in its Q2 earnings release.
Companywide, Chico’s sales increased 8.1% for the quarter to $436 million from $403 million in Q2 a year ago. Net income for Chico’s, No. 228 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide, was $39 million vs. $54 million a year earlier.
For the first six months, Internet and catalog sales were up 38.6% to $33.6 million from $24.2 million a year earlier. Total sales were up 12% to $889 million from $794 million, while comparable store sales were down 3.6%. Net income was $88 million, down from $107 million.
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