Bloxx Warns Online Shopping Could Cost UK Businesses Plenty This Christmas
November 2008 by Marc Jacob
Bloxx, the web content filtering specialist, warned that as the credit crunch bites deeper and more consumers than ever plan to carry out their Christmas shopping online this year, the number of employees surfing shopping sites whilst at work could be set to increase.
The UK has witnessed record online sales this year. According to research from Internet Retailing,[1] shoppers spent £26.5 billion online in the first six months of 2008, up 38% on the £19.2 billion recorded for the same period last year. This figure is set to soar over the festive period, with two-thirds of consumers claiming they are now more likely to shop online for Christmas presents[2].
According to the Business Software Alliance, 46% of online shopping happens during working hours, and whilst some of this will be business related, there is strong evidence to suggest that personal online shopping during working hours is a growing problem.