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SMEs report healthy increases in online orders

Jan 07 2011

More consumers have opted for the convenience of online shopping this past Christmas

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) selling online report a 12 per cent increase in revenue in the fourth quarter of 2010, compared to the same period the previous year.

The survey of 277 SMEs by ecommerce specialist Actinic shows that in the three months to December 2010 the average number of orders processed by each merchant rose 10 per cent on a year earlier and was up 13 per cent on the previous quarter in 2010.

Respondents report that during the Christmas period the average shopping cart value also increased from £67.30 in the fourth quarter of 2009, to £68.90.

Actinic managing director Nick Kington says that SMEs selling online saw ‘healthy increases’ in orders and revenues.

‘This survey highlights that more consumers have opted for the convenience of online shopping this Christmas, although businesses have had to work extra hard to overcome the customer service difficulties created by the weather conditions,’ he explains.

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