J. Jill Q1 web sales are up 7.7% while total sales are off 1.5%
Internet sales at J. Jill Group Inc. were up 7.7% in the first quarter to $21.5 million from $19.1 million a year ago, the company reported today. Total sales were down 1.5% to $98.4 million from $99.9 million. The web accounted for 21.8% of all sales in Q1 vs. 19.1% a year ago.
The biggest decline in sales came in catalog sales which were off 35% to $19.3 million from $29.6 million a year earlier. The company attributes that decline to a strategy of mailing catalogs only to bases likely to provide a positive return. Store sales were up 12.5% to $56.6 million from $50.2 million a year ago. Comparable store sales were off by 6%.
The company’s net loss in the quarter was $2.7 million vs. earnings of $2.2 million in the year earlier quarter.
“We currently plan to continue our circulation strategy of mailing only to break-even or above, even if the end result is a downsizing of this portion of our business,” said Gordon R. Cooke, president and CEO.
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