December 2nd is due to be the busiest day for online shopping this Xmas as well as the busiest online shopping day of all time according to new research. eBay.co.uk and Shopping.com – the UK’s leading sites for online shopping and price comparison respectively - combined data on user traffic and spending trends to pinpoint the date when most shoppers would be searching and spending the most online during the Christmas season. This follows research by Forrester predicting that the period from October to December will see €20 billion (£14.4 billion) spent online in the UK.
On 2nd December:
§ eBay.co.uk expects a staggering 35 million searches and 2.65 million bids (a doubling of the daily average) as shoppers hunt for bargains and original gifts
§ Alongside more predictable categories like PC & Video Gaming, Mobile Phones and Clothes, hot categories seeing the biggest increase in bids on eBay.co.uk include Dolls Houses and Antiques, Jewellery & Watches
§ Shopping.com expects a 50% rise in shoppers looking for deals and comparing prices compared to last year. Hot items will be Flat Panel TVs and gadgets including the iPod Touch
Additionally research conducted by eBay.co.uk has shown that:
· Around a quarter (23%) shop online to track-down original or hard to find presents
· Two-thirds (67%) choose internet shopping for the convenience factor
· Over half (51%) shop online because it’s cheaper
· Over a third (38%) of us head online specifically to avoid high street queues
· A fifth (21%) believe the internet has a greater range of goods
“Shopping online at Xmas offers maximum convenience, the broadest choice at the best prices, and increasingly, the opportunity to find a more original or personal gift versus the high street” said Richard Kanareck of eBay.co.uk