Boston Online Retailers See Sales Spike During Irene

BOSTON (CBS) - Floods of sea- and rainwater failed to materialize, as the Boston area was spared the brunt of tropical storm Irene over the weekend. But for some businesses, the storm brought a more welcome flood: an unexpected deluge of sales ­ and not just for retailers selling water, food and batteries.

Boston-based Gemvara Inc., a jewelry website that allows consumers to design their own rings, necklaces and earrings, saw "significantly higher" sales over the weekend, according to the firm's founder and CEO Matt Lauzon. He declined to disclose specific numbers.

"I think a lot of people were hunkered down at home and had more time to explore online," said Lauzon.

Lisa van der Pool of the Boston Business Journal reports:

Lauzon said this weekend many people purchased gemstone rings. The average purchase size is just under $1,000, said Lauzon.

Gemvara wasn't alone. Another Boston-based mass customization web startup, Blank Label Group Inc., sells customized men's dress shirts online. The young company had one of its best weekends in recent memory, said CEO Fan Bi.

Orders were up about 25 percent above what the company was expecting, he said.

"It was a surprisingly good weekend," Bi said. "That very possibly could've had to do with Irene."

Meanwhile, certain kinds of retailers were, of course, among the businesses that were boosted by a collective need to stock up on water, wine and storm snacks.

"We were busier than usual... leading up to this weekend," said Suzi Robinson, Manager of Public and Community Relations for Stop & Shop's New England Division.

All of Stop & Shop's stores were open throughout the weekend and employees were working around the clock to make sure every store had enough batteries and water.

But, for other brick-and-mortar retail categories, it was a tough weekend as thousands of consumers stayed indoors, not spending money.

At Danvers, Mass.-based Cakes for Occasions, Kelly Delaney made the decision to auction off four custom-made cakes after three weddings and one special event canceled.

Delaney made about $750 in the auction, which she plans to donate to the Red Cross. One man purchased one of the three-tier wedding cakes for his daughter's birthday. Another woman purchased one for her anniversary party.

"Sales were down twenty-percent on Saturday," said Delaney. "We got hit hard because no one was out and about."

Kyle Alspach contributed to this report.