E-commerce web hosting users ‘set for busy Xmas’

Christmas is coming and web hosting users will be getting ready. According to a spokesperson from eBay, this festive period is set to be a busy time for online retailers as more people are now doing their shopping on the internet.

She was speaking after the release of the third Online Business Index from the online auction website, which revealed that more than half (51 per cent) of online businesses expect a stronger Christmas in 2009 than in 2008. Nearly a third (29 per cent) expect to order at least 15 per cent more stock than last year as well.

Just 17 per cent of the 508 internet-based companies polled think that Christmas sales will slide. The research also showed that Christmas accounts for 19 per cent of annual turnover for online firms on average.

The spokesperson commented: "eBay believes there are three factors which are crucial to increased online sales: selection, value and trust."

She claimed that people head online to shop as there is a greater range of products available, while people also trust internet retailers "to deliver customer service that’s as good or better than on the high street".

"In the vast majority of cases, the internet is a safe and fun place to shop. However, it is important for people to remain vigilant and to take steps to stay safe online," she added.

Indeed, Lavasoft recently warned that people need to be aware of heightened online threats over the festive period. In the run up to the Christmas holidays, security analysts at Lavasoft’s Malware Labs have already reported a 391 per cent rise in the amount of malware detected.

Cyber Monday, the unofficial start of the online shopping season according to the company, will see cyber scams get going as well. The date to look out for, Lavasoft added, is November 30th.

Written by Jermaine Jones.