eBay.ie, Ireland’s largest online marketplace, predicts this Sunday 5th December will be Ireland’s busiest online shopping day of 2010, when online shopping is set to reach an all time high in Ireland with over 54% of all Irish consumers planning to do some or all of their Christmas shopping online this year*.
100,000 savvy shoppers are expected to log onto eBay.ie on ‘Super Sunday’, buying one gift every 20 seconds – a 33% rise on sales last year. As well as avoiding the bad weather Irish shoppers cited avoiding high street crowds, 24 hour access and great deals as factors driving people to buy gifts on eBay this year.
Ruth Szyszkowski, eBay.ie said “The strongest sales have been seen this year in the categories of clothing, computers and consumer electronics as the biggest savings can be made here compared to the high street. Christmas doesn’t need to be compromised this year and Irish shoppers are keen to take the hassle out of Christmas by buying online for great value deals delivered to their door, in plenty of time to get under the tree!”
App-y Christmas
eBay now offers Irish bargain-hunters the option of shopping on the move with the eBay shopping app via a mobile or smartphone.
“Customers enjoy the immediate nature of mobile shopping, and the Express Shipping being offered by so many of eBay’s top sellers. From the tap of a screen to choose and pay for an item, to the safety provided by eBay Buyer Protection*, shopping has simply never been easier” said Szyszkowski.
eBay is at the forefront of an explosion in mobile shopping globally, with over €1billion worth of items bought this year via mobile apps.
Spend trends
Despite the economic climate, Irish will spend an average of €312 gifts for others this year, with 10% of the population planning to spend over €375.50. They’re making that budget go far though, with the average person intending to buy between 6 and 10 presents. Mums are the most prolific present buyers of 2010.
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For further information, interviews with an eBay spokesperson, or photography please contact Thinkhouse on 01 6619420:
James O’Neil: jamesoneill@thinkhousepr.com
Emily Cramp: emilycramp@thinkhousepr.com
Notes to editors:
1) **Data sources:
- TNS research, October 2010
- eBay specific forecasting method employed: average YOY uplift applied to 2009 Christmas shopping data
2) * Super Sunday is eBay’s busiest trading day.
Hottest Items
Super Sunday’s hottest items will be as follows, with top deals flying off eBay’s virtual shelves:
- Xbox 4Gb + Kinect
- Paper Jamz Rock Guitar toy
- Take That: Progress Album
- iPad
- Chelsea Boots
- Shrek Forever After
- Call of Duty - Black Ops game
- Michael Buble: Crazy Love (Hollywood Ed) Album
- Harry Potter Lego Set