Online spending on Christmas Day set to reach £844m

Far from having a day off from shopping on Christmas Day, British consumers are expected to use the time at home to browse online and are will spend £844m up 6.3% on last year.

According to the industry association for online retail IMRG, Boxing Day online spend will also be up by 7.9% at £1.03bn, breaking through the £1bn barrier for the first time ever. However, if forecasts prove correct, Black Friday spend will by far outstrip it with £1.39bn spent on that day this year proving how this relatively new promotional day, imported from the US, has altered festive spending patterns.

“Boxing day sales remain a fixture of retail and an important day in the calendar, but Black Friday has altered sales patterns over the full peak period and is now the primary discounting event of the season. And perhaps, as with Black Friday, we’re seeing Boxing Day spend become more online-focused," said IMRG managing director Justin Opie.

Opie added that the British tradition of heading to the shops on Boxing Day is losing its appeal as shoppers turn to their mobile devices during quiet times on Christmas and Boxing Day.

"Although going out to the shops on that day has long been a British tradition, footfall was reportedly down 7.3% on Boxing Day last year; it’s likely that spend on Christmas Day is pulling some of that order volume forward as well, as shoppers have the ability to browse and buy from the sofa on mobile devices during quiet moments at home and visiting family, redeeming the huge numbers of gift cards and coupons that they receive in place of presents each year,” he said.