Irish Spend €2.96 Billion Online In 2010

39% increase in online spending compared to 2009

16 May 2011 – New research published today by Visa Europe estimates that €2.96 billion was spent on online purchases by the Irish adult population in 2010. This is an increase of 39% on the 2009 figures. The research shows that this increase can be attributed to the fact people believe online shopping offers good value and they are also more confident shopping online. In addition people are taking advantage of the increase in the number of Visa Debit cards in Ireland, which allow people to use a debit card to purchase over the Internet.

Half the respondents indicated that they save between 11–30% by shopping online. A quarter of survey participants believed it was more convenient as there was better choice and shoppers could make purchases any time of day. Value tended to be more important for 25-44 year olds, with an average of 59% of participants choosing it as their primary reason for buying consumer goods online compared to 42% of 18-24 year olds and 45% of 45-54 year olds.

The research by Visa Europe showed that the average Irish shopper spent €1,550 online last year. While flights/holidays, entertainment tickets and books continue to be the most popular items purchased online, clothing and footwear are gaining momentum with Irish consumers.  Consumers are also more inclined to purchase items online that they cannot find in Irish stores.  Men spent more online on average (€1,650) compared to women (€1,470).

There has been a notable increase in people’s confidence in online shopping over the past twelve months, with 96% of respondents indicating that they are confident that the online retailer they are purchasing from is reputable and 86% aware of what security features to check for on websites.  In addition, there was an improvement in awareness of online consumer rights, with 65% indicating that they knew what they are entitled to.

Commenting on the research, Conor Langford, Vice-President, Ireland at Visa Europe, said: “We are seeing a large growth in the popularity of online shopping for a variety of reasons.  Consumers typically shop online because it’s convenient but increasingly we’ve seen budget conscious shoppers turn to the Internet in the hunt for value. Since the introduction of Visa Debit in Ireland, consumers are now able to make online purchases with their debit cards and this has contributed to the growth of the eCommerce market in Ireland as a result.”

“The growth in eCommerce activity also reflects the fact the Irish consumers are increasingly confident in using their Debit or Credit card online. Both Visa Debit and Credit cards provide additional consumer protection and we would always encourage consumers to check for and sign up to security features such as Verified by Visa and make sure they understand their consumer rights when making online purchases.”

Visa Europe has also published its top security tips for online shoppers.  These include:

• Verified by Visa protects cards against unauthorised use.  Look out for the Verified by Visa logo on websites
• Make sure that card details are encrypted securely before being sent across the Internet – look for an unbroken key or lock at the bottom of the browser window or check the website address, which should begin https:// rather than http://
• Use the latest version of the browser's software and check to be sure the computer's operating system software is up to date
• Keep a record of Internet transactions, including the retailer's website address. Many online stores send customers emails summarising the purchase details – make sure they are saved or printed off
• Look for a telephone number or e-mail address and note them down

For more information, go to www.visaeurope.com

¹Research by Visa Europe found that Irish consumers spent an average of €1,550 each in 2010 x 1.877,288 million people who have Internet access in Ireland and regularly shop online = €2.96 billion.

Notes to the Editor
The survey was conducted by Market Research Company iReach during the period of 14th April to 20th April using the iReach Consumer Decisions Research Panel which delivered 1,000 responses from adults in Ireland aged 18+ to 65+ and is nationally representative by Age, Region, Gender and Social Class. This research has a confidence level of 95% and confidence interval of 4%.

For further information, please contact:       
Piaras Kelly
Edelman
T: 01 6789333
M: 086 8131691