Pet hates of Christmas shopping have moved Britain online

The high street is no longer the place to do Christmas shopping, according to new research from cashback and voucher code site Quidco.com. Only 1% of the British population do all their Christmas shopping in store and a third (32%) now buy everything online.

When asked if they enjoyed shopping on the high street at Christmas, over 60% of those surveyed said they did not, citing the crowds of people and the queues to pay as the biggest reasons for this.

Other pet hates included heavy shopping bags, the bad weather, and the abundance of Christmas carols and tacky decorations.

One in 10 Brits disliked shopping in store because they didn’t know if what they were buying could be found cheaper elsewhere. This plays some part in explaining the appeal of shopping online, where consumers can take advantage of comparison sites, voucher codes and cashback deals.

Quidco, the UK’s biggest cashback and voucher code site, has offers from over 2,600 retailers, many of which let shoppers use cashback offers and vouchers codes on the same purchase. This ensures Quidco members make a greater saving than they would anywhere else.

What’s more, until 25 December, the site is running a Christmas book which lists the biggest savings, the most wanted presents and the last order dates of all retailers. It also includes two gift finder tools: one for friends and family which identifies a selection of items for a person depending on their gender, age and interests; and one for Secret Santa gifts where gender and spending budget will determine a selection of gifts.

Hannah Green at Quidco said, “The fact that only 1% of the population to do all their Christmas shopping in store means that Brits have truly embraced the internet. Shopping online means you avoid the crowds and queues and you have more choice and time to buy everything you need. What is more, you can take advantage of many great shopping deals which are only available online.”