Online shopping offers the best deals

Monday, 29 June 2009 14:50

More and more people are turning to the Internet for during the current recession in search of bargains and discounts in order to save cash. Going by the figures revealed by PayPal, the average annual spend on the internet in 2011 could be £430 per UK adult, more than double the current average of £184 each.

Studies show that as many as 8.6 million UK adults shop online at least once a week. Nearly 12 million believe that it will soon become the norm and high street shopping will die out.

Commenting on the rising popularity of online shopping, Carl Scheible, managing director of PayPal, said: "As we all try to make our budgets work harder during the recession it is hardly surprising many of us have headed online to seek a better deal. Online shops have already seen phenomenal growth and by the end of 2011 we'll be spending at least one in every £14 online."

Shoppers can log on to comparison websites to compare prices of products on different websites before making a purchase. Another factor contributing to the rise in the Internet shopping is that goods bought on the Internet, come with a seven-day cooling off period when you can decide if you want to keep them or not. That means you can cancel your order if you change your mind, unless the goods have been made to your personal specification, are perishable or you have removed the packaging.