Post date: Apr 01, 2011 4:18:56 PM
Britian is the cheapest European country to buy goods online according to a new report by price comparison website Kelkoo.
EUROPE-ONLINE INDEX - Having the weekly shopping delivered to your door when you're a busy working mother can be helpful.
Siobhan McCammon says online shopping has another advantage - cost.
Siobhan McCammon, online shopper, saying:
"Most definitely competitive, yes and I think everyone finds that. You've got to pay for parking when you go out, and petrol is now so expensive. You've got to drive somewhere, park so it's time and money."A survey of 10 European countries and America by price comparison website Kelkoo show's the UK is the cheapest in Europe for buying goods online.
Marketing director Chris Simpson.
Chris Simpson is Kelkoo's marketing director.
"The UK market is a very mature online market, in fact it's one of the most competitive in the world, second only to the U.S. and I think the reason for that is UK consumers got into mail order shopping very early as a result of good availability of consumer credit and the transition from mail order to internet is quite an easy one it's distance so that's why the UK keeps pace with the U.S. in many ways with the online shopping."
The research also showed that British consumers aren't only sticking to UK websites to shop.
More than a quarter of internet shoppers use websites outside of Britain.
British retailers are also looking to Europe for business. Department store chain John Lewis is expanding its online retail site to serve Continental Europe. Marks & Spencer is also preparing to launch a new website abroad.
Chris Simpson is Kelkoo's marketing director.
"I think it will be interesting to see because brands like theirs can overcome local constraints legislation so that they can trade easily in these countries. In fact what will be more interesting is when the smaller brands come through off the back of the current EU Parliament consumer directive that's going through and that really will open up the market to smaller players going into Europe."
With barriers to online commerce under review Siobhan could soon find much more choice at the click of a mouse.
Hayley Platt, Reuters.