Xmas e-tail - the good and bad news

When it comes to online Christmas shopping, we keep on hearing two things. First of all, this year will be bigger than last.

UK spending will top £1.7bn in the next month or so, according to Mori, and although they didn't put it this way, that's no small potatoes.

Second, more of us would be spending online were it not for fears over security, customer service, quality of merchandise and the like.

However, researchers at Nielsen//Net Ratings today revealed the UK's e-tailers convert a higher proportion of browsers into buyers than any of the other nine large developed economies. This indicates e-tailers can't be doing too badly at tempting us to part with our cash.

More people can always be convinced of the benefits of buying online, however, something organisations such as the Interactive Media in Retail Group and this publication will always point out.

It was good to see the government getting in on this particular act today. It published eight examples of individuals benefiting from shopping online, including the man who won £1m in a draw after previously living on £70 per week.

Then Consumer Minister Melanie Johnson was scheduled to appear at a Virgin Megastore internet café, replete with Father Christmas (not the real one), to preach the online message. (We can't say for sure if she was there, as we couldn't join the grotto queue.)

The choice of net café, high street outlet and the nation's favourite bearded balloonist (that's Branson, not Santa Claus) clearly made sense to the DTI in this context, but that's a digression.

No, the underlying message remains one of the inevitable growth of ecommerce and some people's ongoing fears. Britons don't seem to mind parting with credit card details as much as some but we will always hear about the worriers.

To them, we'd say shop online, be sensible in your online choices, follow the obvious guidelines (see link below), and if you notice something untoward, please contact the police or consumer authorities or a media organisation such as silicon.com.

Or brave the high streets, which should be getting a little less crowded every year.

Online advice on safe internet shopping can be found at http://www.consumer.gov.uk/consumer_web/e-shopping.htm