The IMRG is predicting that web users will spend some £320m in an online
Christmas shopping spree next Monday.
The IMRG, a
membership community for the internet retail industry, expects web users to
continue the trend of spending online over the festive season because of the
money that they can save.
Last week, the organisation announced that Monday 1 December had been the
biggest ever online shopping day in terms of volume, and that traffic was 83 per
cent higher than at the same time last year.
"Monday is almost always the biggest shopping day of the week, and Mondays in
December are usually huge," said James Roper, chief executive at the IMRG.
Research by the organisation has found that 68 per cent of shoppers will be
more likely to shop online for Christmas presents this year, and over
three-quarters will do more than half of their shopping online. Last year, 56
per cent agreed that this would be the case.
"The internet has become the best place for shoppers looking to make the most
out of their squeezed spending resources and find the best prices and products
for presents this Christmas. Online has definitely come of age this Christmas,"
said David Smith, director of operations at the IMRG.
As part of this online behaviour, consumers will use online sites to compare
prices against the high street competition. The IMRG said that 86 per cent of
shoppers would use the internet in this way before shopping in store.
The IMRG is anticipating that some £13bn will be spent online in the weeks
running up to Christmas, a figure that adds up to year-on-year growth of about
15 per cent.
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