Partner Article

Survey reveals North East shoppers as Digital Devotees

More and more North Easterners chose the computer over the high street this Christmas, with almost 42% completing half or more of their Christmas shopping online in 2007.

Figures from Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG) show that online spending for the Christmas period in the UK as a whole was up by 106% when compared with statistics from the previous year, and it appears that shoppers in the North East are mirroring that trend.

The results of a survey conducted by The North East Regional Portal (TNERP) show that almost 7% of those questioned claimed to have completed all of their Christmas shopping online.

When put into context the figure represents a substantial number of ‘Digital Devotees’, those dependent on online shopping facilities for 100% of their Christmas shopping. 43% of all those surveyed admitted to being ‘Bargain Snipers’, using the internet to ease the burden of the Christmas shopping rush, conducting a 25% portion of their shopping online.

Pascal Fintoni, head of e-business at The North East Regional Portal, said: “The results indicate that online shopping is rapidly becoming a common practice among the people of the North East, as it is both nationally and internationally. The fact that so many people are placing their trust in the internet as a secure and convenient means of purchasing a variety of goods highlights the recent improvements in online shopping facilities.”

15% of survey respondents completed all of their Christmas shopping in the traditional manner, without using any online facilities whatsoever, indicating that there are still many North Easterners who are yet to embrace the benefits of online shopping.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .