Up is the trend and sky is the limit. No, we are not talking about the EPL and its ever-increasing fanatic followers. This goes to signify the scope and effect of online retailing. Nigh is the festive and holiday season, and the projections on the basis of research conducted have already indicated that best ever festive season for online shopping and retailing is around the corner.

Take a look on the IMRG forecast that suggests a growth of 36% in e-commerce with sales worth 26bn in the year 2006. With this in sight, online shopping has pierced much deeper than anticipated. Access to broadband connection for over three quarters of the UK population by December 2006 has certainly boosted these figures as the ease and speed of browsing through a broadband connection gave people another reason to buy online.

This heralds well for online shoppers as well as retailers with the ball bouncing back to consumer’s court. The onus lies on online shoppers to knuckle-down on the most favourable deal amongst myriads of offers with as many online shopping portals. Very soon the mood would be upbeat and revelation would prevail, so be it. Gifts and traveling would attract more and more visitors and this cognizance has very well made these online shopping portals well prepared to take on this traffic and make the most out of it.

Gizmos (as in mobile phones, iPods, MP3 Players, laptops), gifts (viz. flowers, chocolates, wines, games) and travel are estimated to draw more attention than ever on these online shopping websites and the outbreak of festive season has fuelled up the hustle and bustle around.

As it goes, “all is well that ends well”, warm up with a well chalked out plan to make merry in the season of mirth.