Online shopping sales hit the £1 billion mark during November, as customers turned to the web in a bid to avoid the pre-Christmas high-street rush, according to the Interactive Media In Retail Group (IMRG).
The retail monitoring group found that web spending was up 10% on the previous month when £860.5 million was exchanged online (see
Online Retailers Have A Red Hot October). Sales have practically doubled in the last twelve months and the growth in internet shopping is fifteen times that of offline retail sales.
UK e-commerce has been bolstered by the increasing uptake of high speed internet services with ‘always-on’ facilities allowing customers to visit online shops without having to worry about connection charges.
“Broadband’s rapid take-up is already having a profound impact on online shopping, setting exciting new expectations for consumers,” said IMRG Chief Executive, James Roper. “It’s fast connectivity enables consumers to nip to the stores online and enjoy a hassle-free, rich online shopping experience.”
The US remains the dominant marketplace for internet shopping with sales for the third quarter estimated at more than $11 billion (see US E-Commerce Sales Top $11 Billion In Third Quarter). However, the UK sector is growing three times as fast and online sales now account for approximately 4% of total retail sales in the country.
