Britons will spend £17bn shopping online in 2004, says report

The lure of online purchasing will tempt around 20 million British shoppers into spending around £17 billion this year, according to a report by the e-commerce business conglomerate IMRG.

The trade body, which includes businesses such as easyJet, Debenhams and Tesco.com, said that for the e-retail industry 2004 will represent a substantial improvement in the range and quality of e-retail services on offer and a watershed for brands that remain unprepared for e-commerce.

Internet shopping will become mass market in 2004, as millions of consumers routinely go online to research and buy every kind of product and service, IMRG said.

E-retail will be boosted by the industry's "serious commitment" to providing satisfying customer experiences, a growing number of "confident" online shoppers, highly secure payments solutions by credit cards, greater broadband take-up and the rollout of ISIS, the industry and government backed trustmark scheme, the group said.

Consumers now expect brands to provide usable online shopping services. Those that do not, or whose services are deficient, will find themselves shunned by shoppers and business partners alike, according to IMRG.

If present trends continue, by 2009 a quarter of all UK shopping will be conducted via the internet or mobile devices in a market worth £80 billion, the group predicted.

(gmcg)