Online Christmas shopping is at least four times faster than high street shopping, according to the Interactive Media in Retail Group.
This festive shopping season is set to be the biggest yet for online sellers and the e-retail industry is going to great lengths to promote the benefits of internet shopping.
The IMRG estimates that UK online sales will total £3.3 billion during November and December (see UK Online Retail Will Double To £3.3bn This Christmas, Says IMRG) but many consumers have yet to explore web shopping malls. They may be swayed by research showing that Britain’s 47 million adults spend 155 million days Christmas shopping and they could save a third of a million years if they made purchases online.
The time saving is even greater for experienced online shoppers who know where to go. They can shop six times faster from the comfort of their own homes than at traditional shopping destinations.
“By switching to the internet, the six out of ten women who spend five days or more on Christmas shopping could save enough time to have a week’s holiday by the time the kids are back at school in the New Year,” commented IMRG’s Managing Director, Jo Tucker. “People who don’t shop online either have lots of time to waste, or must enjoy the British pastime of standing in queues.”
The trade body has set up e-Christmas.com, a dedicated website that seeks to point consumers in the right direction when they plan to shop online. The site is supported by some of the UK’s leading e-retailers and aims to attract ten million visitors between 31 October 2003 and 16 January 2004.
IMRG’s Chief Executive, James Roper commented: “Britain has the worst transport system in Europe, so it’s fortunate for consumers that we have the world’s best online shopping services. The e-retail industry has got together behind e-Christmas.com to help consumers, especially the millions of people who are still missing out on the benefits and time saving that internet shopping offers.”
