More than a quarter of Brits shop online once a week

The latest report from the Royal Mail reveals that 26 percent of British consumers are weekly online shoppers, compared to 22 percent last year.

The Rail Mail states that there is no sign of online shopping slowing down, as two-thirds of consumers, 68 percent, also shop online at least once a month, while 3 percent shop online every day.

The report also reveals that consumers are spending more in comparison to last year, with the average Brit spending 220 pounds in total on online shopping over a three month period, compared to 205 pounds in the same period last year (January – March 2017) and 199 pounds in the October - December 2017 quarter.

In addition, membership of delivery subscription schemes, such as Amazon Prime, continues to rise, suggesting the increased popularity of these goes beyond a Christmas boost, Royal Mail reveals in a statement.

Almost three in ten Brits (28 percent) now use a delivery subscription scheme, an increase from 20 percent in the quarter of April – June 2017. The report also reveals that 18-24 year olds are the age group most likely to have a delivery subscription (40 percent), followed by 25-34 year olds (37 percent) and 35-44 year olds (35 percent).

Delivery subscriptions are also appealing to even younger consumers, with 27 percent of 16-17 year olds being members.

The trend of returning items also continues to grow at pace with almost a quarter (23 percent) of Brits returning an item in the last month, compared to 17 percent in the same period last year.

A spokesperson for Royal Mail Parcels said in a statement: “Online shopping shows no sign of slowing down and those who are shopping are spending more than ever. Consumers are looking for convenience and delivery subscriptions are providing this.

“Retailers need to ensure they’re responding to consumer demand or they risk being left behind. With the emergence of try-before-you-buy schemes for consumers, returns will continue to rise and retailers must have a simple returns process in place to respond to this.”