Snow sparks online shopping frenzy

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A perfect storm of events came together yesterday to push online shopping levels close to the heady heights of Christmas Day, an e-commerce firm has claimed.

Online sales nearly quadrupled from their usual level, according to UK discount voucher code website MyVoucherCodes.co.uk, as roads, rail, buses, airports and schools were closed yesterday after heavy snow.

It has been estimated that six million - as many as 20 per cent of the workforce - stayed home as a result. Ironically, the first Monday in February is known as 'National Sickie Day', as it's traditionally the day many call in ill, even without snow.

While those off work with a broadband connection may have been able to continue working from home, if their employer’s business continuity planning allowed, the voucher site had its busiest day since its launch two years ago, excluding the last day of Christmas shopping.

MyVoucherCodes reported sales that were 392 per cent higher than its average Monday sales.

Mark Pearson, managing director and founder of the site, said: “A hell of a lot of people stayed home yesterday and they’d just been paid. We have over 3,000 retailers listed on our site, so whenever they have a busy day, we do too.”

The site registered an increase in sales of holidays, clothes and electronic items in particular.

“While it is still busy today, a lot of different circumstances came together yesterday,” he added.

Internet retail industry body IMRG told IT PRO that initial feedback from its members had been mixed regarding yesterday’s sales performance and the affects of the snow.

But Pearson argued: “A lot of people visit our site to research discounts, so we often the trends before the retailers do.”

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