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Around 130,000 UK businesses now sell online, in a market representing about 2.5 per cent of all household spending (over £18 billion a year in total) according to this article at the Retail Bulletin.

In the last five years, internet retail sales in the UK rose by over
350 per cent, compared with growth of only 20 per cent for all retail
sales.

In 2005, the typical online shopper spent £560 online, and
forecasts suggest that this could grow to over £860 per year by
2010.

News like this is sure to continue the rise of online retail. It’s funny though, how in the beginning, as Amazon was actually building up their online presence, the high street failed to take note. Now they are all rushing to make sure they get their share. The problem is, in my opinion, that they are still thinking like offline retail shops. A bit like TV companies and ‘old school’ marketing people - ‘let’s just take what we’ve always done and stick it online’.

The problem is, this doesn’t work. People don’t want adverts, they have choice and they are fickle. Which is why, if I were them, I’d be sh*tting myself about the future. Well actually I wouldn’t, because we realise (at The Escape) that change is the only constant). I would have my head searching the web, reading blogs, taking notes, joining in and getting down dirty with web 2.0 and the way forward.