UK B2C e-commerce to hit GBP 59.8 billion, up 28.3 percent in 2008

The figures include digital downloads and tickets for travel and events and the study forecasts that they will continue to grow until 2012, mainly because of competitive prices, easy product comparisons and fuel savings. Thus, B2C online sales will climb by 14.4 percent and reach GBP 68.4 billion in 2009, while in 2010 they are expected to increase by 14.8 percent and register GBP 78.5 billion. For 2011 and 2012, estimates announce GBP 86.4 billion and GBP 94.2 billion respectively, with a drop below 11 percent within this latter period (10.1 percent for 2011 and 9 percent for 2012). Online buyers are also to grow in numbers, from 26.2 million in 2007, to 28.6 million in 2009 (accounting for 77 percent of internet users) and 32.2 million in 2012 (representing nearly 79 percent of internet users by that time). The average annual amount spent online per online buyers is to climb from GBP 1,779 in 2007 to GBP 2,183 in 2008, grow to GBP 2,394 in 2009, to GBP 2,641 in 2010, hit GBP 2,796 in 2011 and GBP 2,926 in 2012.The study titled UK B2C E-Commerce: Continued Growth in Tricky Times was published by e-Marketer.