Online shoppers on the rise, says Royal Mail

Two thirds of people are shopping online once a month and retailers need to ensure they’re responding to consumer demand or they risk being left behind, according to Royal Mail Parcels.

Over a quarter of people are now shopping online once a week –  up by three per cent compared to last year.

Delivery subscription schemes are at an all-time high with almost 30 per cent of the population using schemes such as Amazon Prime compared to 20 per cent last year.

“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,” said Royal Mail.

Returns are on the rise too, with almost a quarter of people saying they made a return in the last month. Last year that number was less than one fifth.

“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.”