Internet sales boomed at Christmas

According to research by trade body IMRG, internet sales boomed by over 50% on previous years figures.

Total internet sales for the Christmas shopping season for 2005 were £4.98 billion - up from £3.3 billion at Christmas 2004.

Total sales for 2005 itself were valued at £19.2 billion, up 32% on 2004.

Consumers embraced internet shopping en masse at Christmas, as half the adult population clicked online for some - and in many cases for all of their shopping.

The year-on-year growth rate accelerated strongly throughout the year, tripling from the year low of 13% in February, to almost 50% at Christmas (peaking at 48.5% in November and 47.4% in December). The monthly value of online sales grew 80% during this 11-month period, from £1.25 billion in February, to the year high of £2.26 billion in December.

Twenty four million British consumers shopped online in 2005, spending on average £816 each during the year, and £208 in the run-up to Christmas.

The Christmas shopping peak was found to be the week starting December 5th, and IMRG now predict an increase in ecommerce sales of 36% over 2006.