eCost.com’s sales spike 63% in 2004, orders are up 74%

2004 sales at eCost.com grew 63% over 2003 reaching $178.5 million from $109.7 million, the company reported this week. The company had a net loss of $1.2 million vs. a net income of $6.2 million a year ago.

Sales in the fourth quarter totaled $58 million, up 60% from $36.4 million in Q4 2003 and up 34% from Q3. The company had a loss of $300,000 in Q4 vs. a profit of $5.5 million in Q4 2003.

The company added 138,500 customers in the quarter, taking its customer count to 1.09 million of which 461,756 have made a purchase in the previous 12 months. A year ago, the company counted 261,493 active customers.

For the year, eCost.com processed 576,706 orders, up from 330,983 a year ago. Average ticket was $321, down from $345. The company spent $5.9 million on advertising in 2004, up from $3.6 million in 2003.

ECost.com, a discount retailer of computers and consumer electronics, expects revenue growth of 50% this year.