Ebusinesses all over the country are breathing a sigh of relief as online purchasing rockets in the UK.

Since January this year the number of internet shoppers has more than doubled, according to new research.

Research company Experian surveyed 500,000 consumers about their internet spending habits and found that the number of online shoppers has risen from 2.26 million to 4.7 million over the course of this year.

Consumers are also starting to buy more frequently. About 1.45 million users have made four or more purchases online so far this year, but the most popular purchases come as no surprise - CDs, books, computer games and holidays.

According to the LifeStyle Internet Survey, the current breed of internet shoppers are mainly younger and wealthier people. The most represented group being 18 to 25 year olds. But a significant number of online shoppers are also in the 26 to 45-year-old bracket.

The number of so-called silver surfers is also on the rise, with over 55s conducting a fifth of all online purchases.

But Experian also found that while shopping over the internet is becoming a more important factor, a significant percentage (37 per cent) of online shoppers don't consider the internet to be a valuable educational resource.

First published on uk.internet.com