E-tail visits up as Xmas peak looms

Visits to online shopping sites rose by 2.6 per cent in the week to November 30, according to monitoring service Hitwise.

Among e-tailers on the up in Hitwise's survey, software site Edream.co.uk was up 90 per cent and equestrian superstore Robinsons-UK.com 56 per cent.

E-tail industry body IMRG predicts that more than 10 million people will shop online for Christmas presents this year, spending£1 billion in December, with a peak this week.