Study highlights impact of online retail

11:43 21st January 2010

New research has suggested how retail companies in Lancashire could benefit from embracing e-commerce services.

The study by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, revealed that 93 per cent of companies in the continent had access to the internet at the start of last year, with 82 per cent specifically enjoying a broadband connection.

It also found that 12 per cent of enterprises' turnover was generated from online retail during 2008.

In the UK alone, 15 per cent of firms' turnovers came from e-commerce, with 83 per cent of online sales generated by those companies coming from customers within their own country.

Other countries where online retail services were popular among firms included Ireland, Finland and Sweden.

The release of the research has come after a study by Allen & Gerritsen revealed that 82 per cent of people believe online retail sites offer high quality customer experiences.

It also revealed that a similar number went to a retail store in person over the Christmas period, which highlights how companies could benefit from combining both offline and online shopping.

Related e-commerce news stories

Mix of offline and online retail 'could bring success'2010-01-15 11:25:29New research has suggested that companies in Lancashire may benefit from combining both an offline and an online retail presence.According to the study from Allen & Gerritsen, while eight out of ten... Full story

 

Online retail sales 'growing rapidly'2010-01-13 11:03:05Companies in Lancashire could benefit from embracing an online retail presence in the near future, an expert has suggested.Sharon Hardiman, head of non-store retailing for the British Retail Consortium,... Full story

 

Online retail sales 'rise 29% over Christmas'2010-01-12 11:44:23New figures have revealed that online retailers in Lancashire and across the UK saw Christmas Day sales grow by 29 per cent in comparison to figures from 12 months earlier.Data published by Retail Decisions... Full story