A leading Irish e-commerce firm has predicted that the number of consumers shopping online this Christmas could increase by as much as 50% in comparison to the same period last year.

Clare-based firm Magico.ie said that although traditional high-street retail activity is suffering a downturn, Internet sales in Ireland are likely to "smash all previous records this year as more and more price-conscious and time-poor consumers do their festive shopping online".

The company also warned that the Irish retail sector had not fully explored the potential of the online shopping market and was losing out on potential business to competitors throughout the world. "There is no doubt that the Internet has transformed the way Irish consumers shop and interact with the companies from which they buy," said Paul McGurran, Director of e-commerce at Magico.ie.

"Consumers, as they become more Internet-savvy, are using the web to research gift purchases in the lead up to Christmas. Once they have narrowed down their selection many shoppers will actually visit numerous stores based on this research. Therefore, for a certain category of shopper the internet is the first place they look prior to making a store visit."

He added that the increase in online retail activity was stimulated by numerous other factors, including time-poor consumers, greater broadband penetration across Ireland and Irish people living abroad.

"There is a growing tendency for shoppers to leave Christmas gift buying later into the festive season and due to time pressures many will purchase online. This option gives last minute shoppers a wide selection of possible gifts, often coming with a gift-wrapping service as extra. The online shop also takes on the role of shipping items onwards to the recipient," he explained.

"Furthermore, many Irish abroad find the Web the obvious place to do their Christmas shopping for family still based in Ireland. This works both ways—some ex-pats will go online and use Irish based online shops to get attractive shipping rates, and conversely some Irish based consumers with family abroad may also send gifts via local online shops to friends overseas."

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