Online sales expected to double in the next two years

Wednesday, 24 June 2009 08:19

Carl Scheible, managing director of PayPal UK, feels that the value of online retail "can no longer be dismissed as a sideshow". He further said that the growth of internet shopping will prop up a declining general retail sector.

 "The recession has been tough for many UK retailers as they deal with the slowdown and its knock-on impact on consumer spending. Of course, many of the major high-street brands have actually enjoyed the online boom, despite facing challenges in their own stores. The improvements in online shopping will continue to drive consumers until they are spending £1 in every £14 online," he said.

The report, which was carried out by Experian, forecasts that from 2008 to 2011 high street sales will fall by up to 1.4pc. According to the report, nearly 9m adults shop online at least once a week.

The findings were based on interviews with 1,000 adults. The figures show that 24pc of UK adults now believe that online shopping will become the norm and that the high street will eventually die out. Over half of consumers polled believe that high-street retailers could significantly improve their websites and sales processes to "enhance the customer experience".