Insight: one-fifth of UK Christmas sales will be digital this year
A new report has predicted that UK online sales in the run-up to Christmas will reach an estimated £16.90 billion and account for 20.3% of all festive season retail sales. This is up from £14.65 billion and 17.8% last year.
The report by eMarketer predicts that smartphones will account for 36.4% of total retail m-commerce sales but still trail sales on tablets. However, by 2020 the balance is expected to have shifted, at which point smartphones will account for 52.0% of the m-commerce total.
“Retail ecommerce sales during the festive season look set to shine this year, despite the wider economic conditions in the UK,” said eMarketer senior analyst Bill Fisher.
“This is in no small part due to a digitally advanced consumer, who has been quick to embrace digital buying and particularly smartphone buying. And during the Christmas shopping period, these digital habits become even more accentuated.”
The study predicts that overall UK retail sales will reach £83.22 billion during the run-up to Chrsitmas, representing annual growth of 1.3%.
