Monday, November 21 'to be Busiest Day for Online Shoppers'

Surveys suggest that with less than a month to go before Christmas, it is time for Britons to go shopping. This is good news for e-retailers, since shoppers, according to a Daily Mail report, are showing a preference to shop online. Monday, November 21, might, therefore, be the busiest shopping day of the year. The reason - more than 60 percent of all respondents said they did not enjoy crowded places.

The Daily Mail report states that since it is, usually, the Monday closest to December that people receive their last monthly pay cheque, this Internet phenomenon occurs then. On Mega Monday, consumers, on average, are expected to spend around £300,000 a minute, which might push the sales to £424 million during the day. In the run up to Christmas, e-retailers expect a boost in sales figures, at the end of a challenging year. The estimated figures project a considerable increase from last year. All in all, the volume of street sales is likely to witness a dip and in excess of £13 billion will be spent online.

A study compiled by shopping comparison Web site Kelkoo, found that people were stocking up early, so as to avoid a repeat of last year, when there was a backlog of orders, due to a big chill. Another study, conducted by online consultancy Tealeaf, suggests that Apple gadgets such as the iPad and the iPod Touch, televisions, video games, Lego sets and Mini Micro scooters, for children were the most searched for items.

Christmas sales went up 44 percent last year, compared to 2009 and in the current festive season it is believed technological advances will further boost sales.

Shopping via mobile phone is also likely to be preferred. Another research group, the Centre for Retail Research, predicts that some £1.64 billion worth of shopping will be done that way.

With a quarter of the UK public now doing Christmas shopping online, retailers are likely to make their Web sites more interactive and eye-catching by offering attractive deals. Various studies reveal that about 33 percent of online spending will be on gifts, more than 24.5 percent on Christmas travel, 20.6 percent on decorations and rest on food and drink.

People prefer online shopping for convenience, reduced stress and attractive prices.