No sign of etail slowdown

Online payment and security firm Protx predicts that online retailers in the UK will process over £2.3bn worth of sales in January 2004, up 230% on January 2003 figures when online shopping reached the £1bn mark or 6% of total retail sales.

The company said that its e-tail customers are seeing much greater sales than this time last year, which is backed up by recent figures from the IMRG (Interactive Media in Retail Group).

These revealed that internet shopping reached an all-time high in the UK in November - soaring 44% at an annual growth rate 12 times higher than the 3.6% reported for all retail sales by the British Retail Consortium.

"We expect this trend to continue well into the New Year as more shoppers choose to look online for their January bargains over traditional high street shopping," said Michael Alculumbre, CEO of Protx.

Making the most of the predicted New Year boom, Amazon UK today unveiled its January sale early.

The e-tail giant is offering massive savings on a range of goods bought online, including 60% off the RRP in DVD, 50% off software, at least 40% off PC and video games, 25% off toys, savings on many kitchen and home products and best selling music CDs for only £5.

On top of that, the company continues to offer its ongoing promotion of free delivery for orders over £25, first introduced last Christmas as a one-off, but implemented permanently after its initial success.

Robin Terrell, MD at Amazon.co.uk, said that the January sale is "another great example of the amazing savings we are able to offer our customers."

1 December 2003:

18 November 2003:

"www.protx.com ":http://www.protx.com

"www.amazon.co.uk ":http://www.amazon.co.uk

"www.imrg.org ":http:www.imrg.org//www.imrg.org

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