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| Web sales start on Christmas Day | |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Millions of UK consumers are expected to spend Christmas Day shopping online as major retailers begin selling discounted goods via the internet. | Millions of UK consumers are expected to spend Christmas Day shopping online as major retailers begin selling discounted goods via the internet. |
| Marks & Spencer, Halfords, PC World, Argos, Comet and Dixons launch web sales at 0001 GMT on 25 December. | Marks & Spencer, Halfords, PC World, Argos, Comet and Dixons launch web sales at 0001 GMT on 25 December. |
| Industry body the Interactive Media in Retail Group predicted 3.57m Britons will hunt for deals on Christmas Day. | Industry body the Interactive Media in Retail Group predicted 3.57m Britons will hunt for deals on Christmas Day. |
| The IMRG's CEO, James Roper, said: "The desire to shop doesn't go away and the web fills a niche when stores close." | The IMRG's CEO, James Roper, said: "The desire to shop doesn't go away and the web fills a niche when stores close." |
| Sitting in front of elderly relatives playing charades is one way to spend your Christmas Day, surfing for deals is another Rob ForbesPC World The last-minute shopping frenzy | |
| He added that projections by IMRG suggested that online sales on 25 December would total £52m - the equivalent of £14.56 per customer, and a rise of 66% on the previous year. | He added that projections by IMRG suggested that online sales on 25 December would total £52m - the equivalent of £14.56 per customer, and a rise of 66% on the previous year. |
| The peak spending time was likely to be after the Queen's speech, principally between 2000 and 2200 GMT, Mr Roper said. | The peak spending time was likely to be after the Queen's speech, principally between 2000 and 2200 GMT, Mr Roper said. |
| By contrast, only 2.8m people attended a Church of England service on Christmas Day 2006. | By contrast, only 2.8m people attended a Church of England service on Christmas Day 2006. |
| Rob Forbes, spokesman for PC World, said that the web meant consumers expected more choice. | Rob Forbes, spokesman for PC World, said that the web meant consumers expected more choice. |
| "Sitting in front of elderly relatives playing charades is one way to spend your Christmas Day, surfing for deals is another. | "Sitting in front of elderly relatives playing charades is one way to spend your Christmas Day, surfing for deals is another. |
| "We know that Boxing Day is one of the biggest shopping days of the year, and people are keen to get started on the sales." | "We know that Boxing Day is one of the biggest shopping days of the year, and people are keen to get started on the sales." |
| A spokeswoman for Halfords said: "We did this last year in response to demand, and it was very popular. | A spokeswoman for Halfords said: "We did this last year in response to demand, and it was very popular. |
| "Clearly many customers do wish to shop for bargains over the Christmas turkey." | "Clearly many customers do wish to shop for bargains over the Christmas turkey." |
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