Williams-Sonoma DTC Sales Slip in Fourth Quarter
Direct-to-consumer sales for Williams-Sonoma Inc. decreased 2.4 percent in the fiscal fourth quarter despite strong sales in the retail sector, the marketer reported yesterday.During the 14 weeks ended Feb. 3, Williams-Sonoma had direct sales of $238.9 million. In contrast, retail sales in the quarter were $507.8 million, an 18.1 percent increase from the same period last year.
Sales for the company's Pottery Barn Kids and Williams-Sonoma catalogs grew during the quarter. However, the growth was offset by a reduction in circulation of the Hold Everything and Chambers brands as well as the effects of a shift in the company's fiscal calendar on order fulfillment.
For the full fiscal year 2001, which also ended Feb. 3, Williams-Sonoma reported net revenue of $2.096 billion, up 12.2 percent from the previous fiscal year. Net DTC sales for the fiscal year were $741.1 million, an increase of 5.3 percent.
For the first quarter of the current fiscal year, Williams-Sonoma projected DTC sales of $173 million to $177 million, and sales of $175 million to $179 million for the second quarter. The company projected net revenue of $461 million to $471 million for the first quarter and $485 million to $495 million for the second quarter.
