Christmas web searches boost traffic
Retail web sites have clocked up record visitor numbers this month, taking the sector's market share to a high of 14.85 per cent.

According to figures unveiled by internet analyst Hitwise, e-tail traffic for the week ending December 17 was up 16 per cent compared with the same week last year.

Hitwise UK director of research Heather Hopkins said: 'UK consumers are taking advantage of later delivery dates to do more last-minute shopping online, with visits to grocery, gift and lingerie sites continuing to increase last week. While iPods, digital cameras and Sony's PSP continued to be the most popular gift items, searches for Barbie increased 27 per cent week on week and hair straighteners brand GHD took the number six spot among the most searched-for products.'

Visits to retail web sites are expected to spike in the week after Christmas as the Sales season gets under way.

Pure-play e-tailers attracted the largest share of visits among retail web sites in the run-up to Christmas. Argos was the only high street brand among the top five online shopping sites in the week ending December 10, which also included EBay UK, Amazon UK, Play.com and Kelkoo UK. Together, they accounted for 42 per cent of e-tail visits that week.