Nearly two thirds of online retailers are predicting sales growth in the year ahead, according to a poll by the Royal Mail.

Some 64% of SME online retailers expect sales to improve in 2013 despite the tough consumer environment, while more than half of the retailers surveyed said sales grew in 2012.

Etail sales are understood to have been particularly strong over recent months. Christmas Day and Boxing Day were the biggest ever days for online retail in the UK according to data firm Experian, which said web visits peaked at 107 million on Christmas Day, soaring 86% year on year.

Many online retailers started their post Christmas Sales early this year in order to meet the surge in demand.