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| Boxing Day sales: Shoppers 'set to spend £3bn' | Boxing Day sales: Shoppers 'set to spend £3bn' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| British shoppers are expected to spend almost £3bn in the Boxing Day sales, experts have predicted. | British shoppers are expected to spend almost £3bn in the Boxing Day sales, experts have predicted. |
| Millions of bargain-hunters are set to descend on High Streets and shopping centres across the UK. | Millions of bargain-hunters are set to descend on High Streets and shopping centres across the UK. |
| Shops began cutting prices and opening as early as 06:00 GMT in a bid to tempt customers in. | |
| Market analyst Experian says online spending is expected to be the "biggest and busiest ever", accounting for almost £500m on Boxing Day. | Market analyst Experian says online spending is expected to be the "biggest and busiest ever", accounting for almost £500m on Boxing Day. |
| Tube strike | Tube strike |
| Amazon UK said it had seen sales on Christmas Day increase by 263% over the last five years. | Amazon UK said it had seen sales on Christmas Day increase by 263% over the last five years. |
| This was partly due to the growth in home broadband and the popularity of tablets and smartphones. | This was partly due to the growth in home broadband and the popularity of tablets and smartphones. |
| MoneySupermarket.com said shoppers were set to spend £2.9bn in the Boxing Day sales. | MoneySupermarket.com said shoppers were set to spend £2.9bn in the Boxing Day sales. |
| A survey for the website found that four million people plan to head to the stores, as well as five million who will shop online. | A survey for the website found that four million people plan to head to the stores, as well as five million who will shop online. |
| However, there could be problems for shoppers in London because of a strike by Tube drivers - although extra buses will be provided to the West End and the Westfield shopping centres in Stratford and White City. | However, there could be problems for shoppers in London because of a strike by Tube drivers - although extra buses will be provided to the West End and the Westfield shopping centres in Stratford and White City. |
| Experian said visits to retail websites were expected to reach 126 million on Boxing Day, an increase of 31% on last year. | Experian said visits to retail websites were expected to reach 126 million on Boxing Day, an increase of 31% on last year. |
| James Murray, from Experian, said: "Christmas 2012 is on track to be another record-breaker for online retail, outstripping 2011 on all fronts. | James Murray, from Experian, said: "Christmas 2012 is on track to be another record-breaker for online retail, outstripping 2011 on all fronts. |
| "The current market trends suggest that in the UK, Boxing Day will be the biggest day for online retail, with an estimated 126 million visits to online retail outlets and a massive 17 million hours spent online shopping on this day alone." | "The current market trends suggest that in the UK, Boxing Day will be the biggest day for online retail, with an estimated 126 million visits to online retail outlets and a massive 17 million hours spent online shopping on this day alone." |
| But comparison website Pricerunner said figures suggested that almost half people asked were not planning on buying anything in the sales. | But comparison website Pricerunner said figures suggested that almost half people asked were not planning on buying anything in the sales. |
| Business failures | Business failures |
| The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said Christmas spending in shops this year was "acceptable but not exceptional". | The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said Christmas spending in shops this year was "acceptable but not exceptional". |
| BRC spokesman Richard Dodd said poor accessibility on high streets, lack of parking and weak consumer demand were more of a threat than an increase in online shopping. | BRC spokesman Richard Dodd said poor accessibility on high streets, lack of parking and weak consumer demand were more of a threat than an increase in online shopping. |
| He said some High Street retailers would "undoubtedly" fail after Christmas. | He said some High Street retailers would "undoubtedly" fail after Christmas. |
| "Retail sales over the weekend have been up to expectations but expectations were relatively modest. Christmas will turn out to be acceptable but not exceptional," he said. | "Retail sales over the weekend have been up to expectations but expectations were relatively modest. Christmas will turn out to be acceptable but not exceptional," he said. |
| "There are a lot of myths around online retail. Ten per cent of overall retailing over the year comes from online shopping and actually it presents lots of opportunities for the retail sector." | "There are a lot of myths around online retail. Ten per cent of overall retailing over the year comes from online shopping and actually it presents lots of opportunities for the retail sector." |
| But business recovery group Begbies Traynor warned that High Street retailers faced the threat of closure as more people shopped online. | But business recovery group Begbies Traynor warned that High Street retailers faced the threat of closure as more people shopped online. |