Q2 web sales at Office Depot rise 22% while total sales are up 12%

Global e-commerce sales at Office Depot Inc. reached $742 million in the second quarter, an increase of 22% compared to the second quarter of last year, the company reported this week.

Worldwide sales for Office Depot, No. 3 in Internet Retailer’s Top 300 Guide to online retailers, in Q2 were $3.2 billion, up 12% from a year earlier. Web-based sales represented 23.2% of all sales for Office Depot in the second quarter, up from 21.2% in Q2 last year.

Operating profit for the second quarter was $120 million, up 47% over the same period in 2003. The company said the increase was primarily the result of continued improvement in North American Retail performance and the addition of Guilbert to its International Group in June 2003. North American comparable store sales were up 3% from Q2 last year, the company said.

Companywide sales in the first half were up 15% while operating profit was up 22%.