More than a quarter of UK consumers now shopping online one a week

Over a quarter (26%) of UK consumers are now shopping online once a week, compared to 22% last year, according to new research commissioned by Royal Mail.

Two-thirds (68%) shop online at least once a month and 3% shop online every day.

The average UK online shopper spent £220 in January-March, compared to £205 in the same three-month period last year.

According to Royal Mail: “Membership of delivery subscription schemes (e.g. Amazon Prime) continues to rise, suggesting the increased popularity of these goes beyond a Christmas boost. Almost three in ten Brits (28%) now use a delivery subscription scheme, a rise compared to 20% in the quarter of April – June 2017. 18-24 year olds are the age group most likely to have a delivery subscription (40%), followed by 25-34 year olds (37%) and 35-44 year olds (35%). 27% of 16-17 year olds are members of a delivery subscription.”

The trend of returning items is still on the up, with almost a quarter (23%) of UK online shoppers returning an item in the last month, compared to 17% in the same period last year.

A spokesperson for Royal Mail Parcels said: “Online shopping shows no sign of slowing down and those who are shopping are spending more than ever.

“Consumers are looking for convenience and delivery subscriptions are providing this.

“Retailers need to ensure they’re responding to consumer demand or they risk being left behind.

“With the emergence of try-before-you-buy schemes for consumers, returns will continue to rise and retailers must have a simple returns process in place to respond to this.”