Virtual shopping makes it tough for High Street retailers this Christmas |
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Fri, 09 Dec 2005 17:05
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High Street retailers are not having a great Christmas as increasing number of people are preferring to shop online in the UK, according to a new study.
Almost 40 per cent of adults are content doing Christmas shopping on the Net. The number of people shopping in virtual malls has almost doubled in a period of just four years, according to the study.
The consumer analysts Mintel, who have carried out this study, attribute long queues at the stores, tacky tunes being belted out there, car parking troubles as some of the reasons for the consumers switching over to online stores.
"There has been an impressive increase in the number of households with broadband, which has made shopping on-line a lot easier and so for many a much more appealing way to buy Christmas gifts than heading to the High Street,” says Mintel's director of retail research Richard Perks.
According to Mintel, the spending of the average British consumer has increased to £366 on presents from £334 last year’s Christmas. Many affluent buyers belonged to the North West of England.
Mr Perks saying that though the consumer confidence has risen, the profit will be mainly taken by the internet retailers. He added: “This is also going to be the first Christmas where auction sites, particularly eBay, have a noticeable impact.”
However, Mintel found that around 38% of shoppers “usually leave their Christmas shopping until the last minute” and half of men shoppers are supposed to be responsible for this swelling figure.
On an optimistic note for High Street retailers, Mr Perks added: “With Christmas Eve falling on a Saturday this year, we may find that an even greater number hit the shops just hours before the presents go under the tree.”
Of the total shoppers, 15% preferred to shop online as compared to 10% last year.
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