Brits to spend record £1.2bn online on Christmas Day

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Brits will spend £1.2bn online on Christmas Day, as more people shop online than watch the Queen

Over 11 million shoppers will jump online on Christmas Day to buy all the things they had wished for but didn’t get, says ParcelHero.

Christmas Day is rapidly becoming one of the biggest events in retail. Last year shoppers spent £1bn online on the big day and this year will see that rise to £1.2bn, says parcel price comparison site ParcelHero.

Says ParcelHero’s Head of Consumer Research, David Jinks M.I.L.T: 

“The growth of Christmas Day as a shopping event has become a retail phenomenon. Previously, Boxing Day launched the big post-Christmas sales season but now it’s Christmas Day itself.

“Brits used to slouch in front of “Home Alone” or the Queen’s speech but, last year, 11 million of us shopped online while just 8.2 million watched the Queen’s Christmas message.

“There are many reasons why the day has become so popular for shoppers. Often, children are swift to indicate disappointment because they have been overlooked by an aunt or given the wrong toy. Knowing a new present is on its way swiftly restores Christmas cheer.

“Then there’s the emergency option for that moment when you know you have bought your partner the wrong present. It’s not a great feeling when your loved one has lavished time and money on your present but is on the receiving end of a novelty jumper. A sneaky order with next day delivery means you can tell them their main present is still on its way.

Last year, Brits were given £2.2bn-worth of unwanted Christmas gifts, according to eBay. 

Over the last few years. Christmas Eve has also been growing in popularity as a key day for online shoppers who have left everything to the eleventh hour. However, Christmas Eve same-day deliveries look highly ambitious this year. Amazon, Argos, ASOS, Net-a-Porter and Zara still claim to be able to take an online order and deliver it on the same day. But this year, several of these stores are now wisely saying that 24 December orders will only be deliverable same day for specific postcodes.

Concludes David Jinks: 

“Given the current strain on delivery services because of Covid and Brexit, we won’t be surprised if retailers change to earlier final order dates as Christmas nears. That’s why our continually updated Christmas deadlines tool is so useful for keeping shoppers in the know with all their favourite retailers’ final order dates.” 

To check the easy-to-use retailers’ final order and final mailing dates tool, see: https://www.parcelhero.com/events/christmas-gifts-delivery

Chris Price
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