Over 80% of UK buyers to make purchases on the internet for Christmas

A study indicates that 25.17 million customers across UK representing 81 percent of the UK's online population (which stands at 33.06 million) have expressed their intention to make online purchases for Christmas.

The main reasons online shoppers give for their decision are the ability to make purchases at any time of the day and smaller prices.

The number of those willing to purchase at least one Christmas gift online reaches 29.09 million, accounting for 88 percent of the UK online population, while over a quarter of those involved in the study announced plans to buy eleven or even more gifts on the internet.

Price is the main reason which prompts UK online adult males to buy products online instead of from a brick-and-mortar shop, while for women, the most important factor is the fact that they can buy online at any hour of the day or night. The same study reveals that 96 percent of UK online customers aged between 18 and 24 are planning to buy one or more Christmas gifts on the internet in 2008.

Online shoppers' greatest fear is that of never receiving the products, followed by security concerns and being exposed to online fraud when buying from a website they have never used before.

The study was conducted by GfK NOP on behalf of Ivobank, among 1,000 UK adults.