Britons are set to double the amount of money they spend on online shopping over the next two years, new research shows.
Consumers are predicted to spend an estimated £21.3 billion annually by the end of 2011, according to a report by online payment service PayPal.
This is equal to growth in online spending of 137 per cent, bringing the average spend to the equivalent of £430 per UK adult each year.
Shopping online is already thought to be easier to budget than high-street shopping by four in ten Brits, while nearly two thirds (62 per cent) believe only the best deals are available online.
PayPal’s managing director Carl Scheible said: "The downturn has meant quick impulse buys may be a thing of the past as we now spend longer thinking about what we purchase.
"However, cost isn’t the only deciding factor when buying online; an easy and secure final check out is also important to shoppers."
Online sales were up by 14 per cent in April compared to the same month in 2008, according to research by IMRG Capgemini.