40% of consumers buy online goods and services at least once a week

40% of consumers buy online goods and services at least once a week

UK online shoppers spent over £3,370 online in the last year, according to the 2012 eCommerce Basket survey from payment provider WorldPay.

The survey, which polled 2,000 online shoppers in the UK, found 40% had shopped online at least four times a month, with 10% saying that in an average month they purchased products online 10 or more times. Nearly 60% of consumers shop online up to three times a month.

Other key findings included the fact that, of all grocery products, UK consumers were most likely to buy fruit and vegetables online (31% and 32% respectively) than any other product. However, the most was spent on alcohol. Men who purchased alcohol online spent £217 compared to women who spent £138.

In the fashion and clothing category, shoes were the most popular item to be purchased online. Nearly half (49%) of women and 38% of men bought shoes online in the last year. The most was spent on handbags, with women spending on average £187.

Spending varies by category

Of those consumers who booked travel online, 42% booked hotel/ accommodation online, while 38% purchased air travel. The average amount spent on package holidays was £1,608.

A further 43% said they had purchased car and breakdown cover online in the last year and 40% bought home insurance. Only 7% said they had bought life insurance online, with £768 as the average amount spent by online shoppers who pay for utility bills online.

Over half (57%) of consumers in the UK had purchased books and literature online, compared to only 15% on film rentals and downloads, according to the survey.

The survey highlighted the different online shopping habits of men and women and showed that men only spend marginally more than women online, typically spending an average of £3,495 a year, where women spent £3,120.

Shopping differences exposed

Men spent £145 more a year on electronics, £150 more on lifestyle and entertainment and £235 more on travel. Women, however, spent more on fashion and clothing with an average of £315 compared to £188 by men.

Gabriel Hopkins, WorldPay head of e-commerce products, commented: “Every day we hear reports that consumer spending is under pressure, but e-commerce continues to grow at a healthy rate.

“Men typically spend the most online except in the areas of fashion and clothing where women are power shoppers, spending almost twice as much. With more people than ever buying physical and virtual goods online, it’ll be intriguing to see whether this cultural shift has an impact on the ONS basket contents and value,” Hopkins concludes.