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UK's average online spend continues to rise

Tuesday, May 27, 2014 - 13:25 by Graham Miller

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Barclaycard has released new figures this month, which show that typical households across the country will be spending more via safe shopping online over the course of 2014 than ever before.

On average, the total outlay per household will hit about £4,000, which is no surprise given that roughly a fifth of all transactions carried out using a credit or debit card are now taking place through e-commerce platforms.

Overall, the online shopping industry will grow by about 11 per cent this year, according to Barclaycard, accounting for over £107 billion in total sales.

Interestingly, the music industry could be one of the biggest beneficiaries of e-commerce growth, as it is currently leading the market with expansion of 124 per cent over the past year. Over three quarters of all music bought in the UK is currently attributable to safe shopping online rather than in-store.

Transport and travel are also being embraced as ideal services to purchase through the web, especially now that accessing e-tickets for flights is possible.

E-tickets are having an impact on other industries, including the entertainment sector, since people can buy tickets for gigs and other events online and then either print out their own ticket or use a smartphone to gain entry.

Spokesperson, Chris Wood, explained that in the three decades since the first time that online shopping was available to consumers, there have been significant changes to the retail market, mostly for the better.

The fact that consumers can look up products, compare prices and commit to purchases all through the same platform is why e-commerce has taken off in the UK, according to Mr Wood. And with yet more growth predicted, it does not look like average household spending in this area will ever climb downwards.