Online retail explodes over Xmas

The Christmas break may be a time to focus on family and loved ones, but it now seems that it has become the prime opportunity for online shopping – and Xmas 2009 looks to have been the most successful yet.

The Retail Bulletin reports that number from the Interactive Media in Retail Group show that Christmas day sales online were up 29 per cent year-on-year in the UK, reaching 132m. Boxing Day sales were even bigger, hitting 281m.

It appears that this Christmas we saw internet activity becoming part of most people’s routine, whether e-mailing friends, catching up on social network sites or surfing for bargains,” IMRG’s director of operations David Smith stated.

Online retailers were able to benefit from this changing consumer behaviour by achieving record sales volumes with many sales and offers starting on Christmas Eve.”