Online Shopping Boom Favours Niche Websites

The expansion of the online retail market is evident again this week as figures for were released. UK consumers bought .bn ($.bn) of goods from websites last year a .% increase in internet marketing over , according to market analysts Verdict. In cash terms that means shoppers spent an extra .bn online in . Verdict says the figures show internet shopping is closing in on the .bn spent in department stores in . Its retail analyst, Nick Gladding, said online shopping was now a "formidable competitor" to the High Street as it allowed people to do the work from home, searching the web for the best value and service. A quarter of all UK buyers now shop on the internet, for goods and services, as the online shopping community grew by .% to . million people between and . The surge in "e-retail" means online shopping is now winning its biggest-ever slice of the UK retail market. Overall UK retail sales grew by just .% in - the slowest rate since the early s. In its e-market report Verdict says internet marketing enables customers to shop at times to suit them. With many more people working from home, the pattern of high street shopping has changed. One of the biggest growth sectors in online shopping is among the over-s, with numbers almost doubling to . million users between and . The amount spent by this sector rose .% to an average per head. The report comes a month after a report from e-commerce trade body IMRG said online shopping among UK consumers soared almost % in the weeks before Christmas. Shoppers spent .bn online during the period, compared with .bn for the same time a year earlier. Online shoppers need great customer service as they can easily click on to another retailer who serves them better. To keep these clients, website owners must use the right advertising media and launch regular email marketing campaigns. Online marketers can get unbiased advice from dedicated niche websites. The top home based businesses are giving online shoppers what they need: building a relationship, giving excellent service and following up with their customers. Many offline businesses face huge change to retain the modern consumer against this new competition.