Web Design development in Tyne And Wear, Based in South Shields

Dotcoms 'not slowing' shocker

A new e-commerce survey suggests that the UK Internet economy is set to accelerate to record levels over the next 12 months. Durlacher Research's new SME e-commerce study interviewed 800 SMEs around the UK and found that their e-commerce spend is set to top £3.8 billion in the next 12 months - more than their total e-commerce spend to date. The average spend to date per company was £18,200, but this is set to rise to £21,500 for the next 12 months, with the highest investment planned in IT, finance and retail sectors and the lowest spend planned for health and manufacturing. Sarah Skinner, senior Internet analyst at Durlacher, said: "The interesting thing is that they are looking at investing more in the next 12 months than the total to date. Unlike the stock market view which is 'the Internet market is slowing', it in fact looks like the Internet market is speeding up." Furthermore, the study suggests that SMEs are looking at adopting faster Internet connections in the near future as well. According to Durlacher, investment in always-on connections, including technologies such as digital subscriber lines (DSL), is set to rise by close to three times over the next 12 months. However, some SMEs admitted that there was a significant lack of IT training in their organisation and that a quarter of employees given access to an Internet connection did not make use of it. Links: Durlacher - www.durlacher.com

A third of UK Net shoppers buy financial products online

The US may be beating us when it comes to Internet access, but UK Net shoppers are more likely to buy financial products online. A survey published by Nationwide Building Society has looked at Internet usage in the UK and compared it to that in the US and Germany. Findings show that 58 per cent of adults in America have used the Internet compared with 38 per cent in the UK and only 30 per cent in Germany. Almost half (48 per cent) of Internet users in the US have bought goods or services online, compared with 30 per cent in the UK and 23 per cent in Germany. However, of those online buyers, 33 per cent in the UK have bought some kind of financial services product compared to only15 per cent of online buyers in the States. An amazing 41 per cent of Germany's online shoppers have bought a financial services product online. The Internet has encouraged many investors to take a more hands-on approach to their finances, but Internet banks have had to work hard to build up consumer confidence in Internet security. Halifax yesterday announced that it would be offering its online customers anti-virus software and guaranteed reimbursement of losses due to online fraud.

Links: Nationwide Building Society - www.nationwide.co.uk

Halifax - www.halifax.co.uk