UK sees biggest ever online shopping day

Monday (1 December) was the UK's biggest ever online shopping day, according to the IMRG.

The IMRG said Monday recorded the UK's largest ever online shopping volumes, but the anticipated VAT-driven spike failed to materialise, leaving sales values and traffic volumes flat.

Jon Prideaux, deputy chief executive of payments service provider SecureTrading, said, "Yesterday was the largest day for UK ecommerce ever in terms of transactions, but value was flat. Transaction volumes were 3% higher than the 2007 record but value is almost exactly the same as last year."

"The size of the general Christmas peak is smaller: normally it's 85% above an average day, this year it's only 68%."

James Roper, CEO at IMRG, said, "Monday is almost always the biggest online shopping day of the week, and Mondays in December are usually huge.

"It was widely assumed that yesterday's fall in VAT, from 17.5% to 15%, would create a considerable shopping surge. But it just didn't happen. Many of the smart etailers had already passed on the lower rate as soon as it was announced."

Published by: Charlotte McEleny

Published 3rd December, 2008

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