UK: record purchases online

[Brian Turner]

Online credit card usage has soared five-fold during the past four years, figures show. One in 10 of all UK credit card transactions is now carried out online, according to the Association for Payment Clearing Services (Apacs).

Apacs added that the items most often bought online were books and CDs, followed by travel products, computer equipment, and financial services.

The organisation calculated that 72% of internet users shop or bank online.

"It's no real surprise that the internet is being used by more of us more of the time to shop and bank," Apacs spokeswoman Sandra Quinn, Apacs said.

"It's convenient, secure and ideally suits the time-poor society we live in."

Credit card users tend to be more extravagant online than in High Street shops.

The average online credit card transaction was worth £69 compared to £58 on the High Street.

Recent research from e-commerce trade body IMRG estimated that more than 20 million Britons will shop online during 2004.



From: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3541710.stm

[discountdomains]

I really believe the internet will see a renaissance in the next 5 years, so many business's are looking at their sites and investing in e-commerce platforms, SEO or the like.

I thinks its the perfect time to be building up a web business, ready for sale when the opportunity presents itself.

Clare