Glossary
internet sales split
The internet sales split is the statistical separation of online revenue from total retail sales. ONS publishes it from November 2006, including a series for internet sales as a percentage of total retail sales (CDID J4MC) running monthly from January 2007.
What is internet sales split?
Two shapes of the same idea exist in the wild: absolute online values and the online share. The cataloged ONS Retail Sales Index record describes 'internet sales splits' in its short_description and lists an 'Internet average weekly sales (£m)' field by store type - so a single release supports both the level and the ratio view.
The companion DRSI dataset adds the pure-ratio series: J4MC, internet sales as a percentage of total retail sales, monthly from January 2007. Because the splits are cut by the same store types as the physical series, online versus in-store clothing spend can be compared directly - the July 2026 release showed GBP 327.5 million average weekly internet sales for textile, clothing and footwear stores, about 27-28% of that trade's total.
Why does internet sales split matter when choosing a dataset?
Buyers who skip the split inherit a blended number that hides structural change. A flat headline can conceal collapsing footfall offset by online growth - or the reverse. For assortment, logistics and property decisions the direction of the split is the signal.
The practical trap is denominator drift. Store-type weights change as retailers reclassify, so a ratio series like J4MC is comparable across time only within ONS's own revision policy. Pairing the split with the underlying CDID identifiers lets you rebuild any historical ratio from first principles instead of trusting a stale chart.
How do you evaluate internet sales split in a data source?
- Ask whether both level and share are available. ONS provides absolute 'Internet average weekly sales (£m)' fields plus the J4MC percentage-of-total series - use the pair, not just one.
- Verify the split is cut by the same categories as totals. ONS internet sales break down by the same store types as the main index, enabling direct online-versus-in-store comparison per trade.
- Check how far back the ratio runs. J4MC starts January 2007; absolute internet sales series start November 2006.
- Trace every figure to a CDID. Each ONS series carries an identifier such as MZXV for textile-clothing-footwear internet sales, retrievable individually via /timeseries/<CDID>/drsi.
Related terms
Adjacent glossary entries:
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an internet sales split and an internet sales series?
The split is the analytical separation of online from total retail sales; the series is any individual time series expressing it - a value, volume or percentage measure.
Which ONS code tracks internet sales as a share of total retail?
CDID J4MC, internet sales as a percentage of total retail sales, monthly from January 2007.
Is the split published for individual retail trades?
Yes. Internet sales are broken down by the same store types as the main index, including textile, clothing and footwear stores.
Datasets containing this field
Datasets containing internet sales split
6 datasets carry internet sales split in the catalog. Open one, count the fields, judge for yourself.
eCommerce Behavior Data from Multi-Category Store (Apparel Segment)
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UCI Online Retail
UCI Online Retail II
UK ONS Retail Sales Index - Retail Industry
US Census Monthly Retail Trade Survey (MRTS)
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