IT HAS been a merry Christmas for family-owned department stores company Palmers which has increased its monthly sales figures by 50% on last year after launching a new website.

The company said online shoppers had flocked to its new website in the run-up to the festive period,.and in the three days following Christmas Day to take advantage of discounts on offer in its sale.

Palmers, which is still owned and run by descendants of the store’s founder, Garwood Burton Palmer, turns over around �15million a year.

The firm – which employs 300 people across its five stores, in Great Yarmouth, Dereham, Bury St Edmunds (where it has separate home and fashion stores) and Lowestoft – started trading online five years ago but previously had individual sites for different departments.

This year’s post-Christmas trading period was so successful it made December the most successful month ever for the store, with online takings beating the total revenue made in October and November combined.

Emma Sturrock, Palmers’ website manager, said: “Customers are interested in our higher-priced branded ranges such as Kylie, Kirstie Allsopp and Cath Kidston – all of which have been marked down for our big winter sale.

“On top of having an easy-to-use website, being independent is certainly part of our appeal - shoppers know they will receive a great service at a great price, so all the signs point to a very happy new year.”