On the run up to Christmas online sales are expected to reach £6.8bn, a spending increase of £132 per person, according to Verdict Research.

With the busy lives we all lead and shopping days counting down, people are ditching the traditional Christmas shopping trip and are turning to the internet to purchase their festive delights.

In the age of the internet we have entered a new era in consumerism. More and more people are using the internet because it provides a wide variety of choice, it’s convenient and offers comparable prices. Having a website these days is the ‘norm’ and any business wanting to stay competitive would benefit from one.

Now is one of the best times to launch a website, as more people turn to the internet to see what bargains are to be had. Companies that already have a website would benefit from refreshing their site to make it stand out from competitors, or adding special promotions to help increase sales.

Although we are currently in a recession and many high street outlets have seen a decline in consumer spending, online sales look set to rise. So, whether it’s a new website or updating an existing one, any business would want to be part of the increased expenditure of Christmas shoppers.

As more high streets see the demise of shops, consumers are increasingly turning to the internet to purchase their goods. Evident from the latest BRC[British Retail Consortium] statistics, overall high street sales have fallen by 0.8% over last year compared to online stores which are continuing to outperform traditional retailers with a 7.6% rise in sales over the last three months.

Today, consumers want to shop and find information easily and from anywhere in the world. You don’t even have to leave your sofa to do your grocery shopping, and it even gets delivered to your kitchen!

With the current economic climate studies have shown that consumers are still spending, but looking for the right product at the right price. eMarketing is a proven form of advertising that gets your message to your customers at the right time. Sending consumer’s information, whether in a monthly newsletter or as a promotional email will prompt them to act on the offer and become interested in your business, rather than waiting for them to actively search for it.

Convenience is what consumers are looking for and the internet fits that need. If you have a service to offer or a product to sell re-evaluate your marketing budget and invest in a website. Investing in such a powerful business tool isn’t just cost effective but increases customer awareness of your business, reaching thousands of potential customers, worldwide. With so many companies vying for business a website is paramount in today’s market.