NOVEMBER TRADE NEWS Woolworths confirms administration Textile maker claims innocence in fake goods case VAT cut drives Irish shoppers north of the border Woolworths close to administration Chancellor cuts VAT to 15% Retail sector 'being driven by discounts' Lingerie business to focus on wholesale operations Christmas delivers online shopping BRC warns government of pressure on retailers Wholesaler helps small retailers fight Asda Fraudster made £12,000 from eBay scam Scottish consumers 'tightening their belts' Luxury fashion brand enjoys rise in wholesale activity Weak pound benefits Northern Irish retailers Internet helps small retailers to fight downturn London sales superiority over UK 'dwindling' Cambridge retailers fight proposed Tesco opening Wholesale slump for designer clothing company Small retailers 'under threat Post Office to keep card accounts Wind forces trade fair inland Young consumers 'susceptible' to brands Christmas cheer in store for small retailers Local shops play vital community role Retailers told to expect flat sales this Xmas Keep Trade Local campaign comes to London Park Cameras bags Retailer of the Year award Retail sales plummet to three-year low Christmas 'make or break' for small retailers UK traders invited to enter Retail Week Awards Mary Queen of Shops to help Birmingham retailers Scottish Asda store criticised by local resident Low interest rate good news for small firms Markets must support each other, says CGTA Banks urged to pursue small business funding BRC to launch new online retail sales indicator Small retailers voice optimism in Kendal Portsmouth hosts bash for local newsagents Argos under fire for 222% APR store card Emergency funding for ailing small firms Stolen goods warning for Worcestershire retailers Trade News Archive November 08 October 08 September 08 August 08 July 08 June 08 May 08 April 08 March 08 February 08 January 08 Subscribe to our newsletter   Go to The Wholesaler UK Directory  20th November 2008 Christmas delivers online shopping Online retail sales are expected to rise to £13.2 billion in the last quarter of the year, driven by consumer Christmas spending. That is according to the latest internet sales index from IMRG/Capgemini, which predicts that sales will rise by 15 per cent year-on-year in the final three months of 2008. Research into the spending habits of the British public suggested that the average person will spend £215 online between the beginning of October and the end of December. Although the predicted sales growth is down from last year - the fourth quarter of 2007 saw a 54 per cent rise in revenue - it still casts a welcome light into the gloom of recession that has been gathering around many small retailers in recent weeks. The report suggested that Monday December 8th will the biggest online shopping day of the year, with an estimated £320 million being spent. James Roper, chief executive of IMRG, said: "British shoppers will beat the crunch with internet prices this Christmas, spending more than £1 billion each week in the run-up." Despite the economic doom-mongering that has been going on lately, consultancy Deloitte predicted last week that nearly two-thirds of Brits plan to spend as much this Christmas as they did last year, with an additional one in five hoping to spend even more.   (c) 2008 Adfero Ltd. Comment on this news story