(Image source: conchrepublicshopping)

Over a quarter (26%) of Brits are now shopping online once a week, compared to 22% last year. Two-thirds (68%) shop online at least once a month and 3% shop online every day.

Consumers are spending more in comparison to last year with the average Brit spending £220 in total on online shopping over a three month period. This compares to £205 in the same period last year (January – March 2017) and £199 the previous quarter (October – December 2017). 

Membership of delivery subscription schemes (e.g. Amazon Prime) continues to rise, suggesting the increased popularity of these goes beyond a Christmas boost. Almost three in ten Brits (28%) now use a delivery subscription scheme, a rise compared to 20% in the quarter of April – June 2017. 18-24 year olds are the age group most likely to have a delivery subscription (40%), followed by 25-34 year olds (37%) and 35-44 year olds (35%). 27% of 16-17 year olds are members of a delivery subscription. 

The trend of returning items continues to grow at pace with almost a quarter (23%) of Brits returning an item in the last month, compared to 17% in the same period last year. 27% of female Brits returned an item in the last month, compared to 18% of men. 

A spokesperson for Royal Mail Parcels said“Online shopping shows no sign of slowing down and those who are shopping are spending more than ever. Consumers are looking for convenience and delivery subscriptions are providing this. Retailers need to ensure they’re responding to consumer demand or they risk being left behind. With the emergence of try-before-you-buy schemes for consumers, returns will continue to rise and retailers must have a simple returns process in place to respond to this. By selecting high quality, great value services from Royal Mail, online retailers can set themselves up for success.”