Christmas shopping causes online boom

Monday, November 21, 2011 - 10:14 by Simon Crisp

In the time that it takes you to read this article, around £300,000 will have been spent shopping online, as consumers across the country buy their Christmas gifts early.

Today is being dubbed 'Manic Monday,' an accurate but relatively unimaginative name for what will be the busiest day for e-commerce companies in the whole of 2011.

Figures published by the Centre for Retail Research, suggest that up to £17.7 million pounds will be shelled out each and every hour throughout the day, bringing the 24 hour total somewhere in the region of £424 million.

This is in keeping with predictions which suggest that over £13 billion will be spent through safe shopping online in 2011 and goes hand in hand with the fact that people are getting their orders in earlier this year than they did in 2010.

Concerns about weather-related delays to deliveries are seen as being key in the changes which consumers are making to their gift buying this year, because many people had problems getting presents after heavy snowfall last Christmas.

December 4th and 5th are also predicted to be hectic occasions for mass online shopping sessions, with a total of £824 million expected to change hands over this 48 hour period, as stores benefit from a second influx of orders.

Retailers across all sectors have been experiencing problematic financial conditions due to a contraction in trading on the high street and even e-commerce growth has slowed to a certain degree.

Despite this, analysts are predicting that a national interest in online shopping is going to give traders the boost they need to help end of year figures look a little healthier than they have over the past few months. Consumers can expect to see some dazzling deals and impressive tactics to encourage them to part with cash this Christmas.