CHRISTMAS shoppers will spend up to é4bn online this year, according to new figures.

The e-tail sector is set for a bumper festive season, with a 64 per cent increase in online shopping ahead of Christmas.

The report, from e-tail analysts the Interactive Media in Retail Group, claims that around 18m Britons will do their Christmas shopping online.

And it's the clicks and mortar companies that are benefiting the most as the online portals of high street stores enjoy significant traffic increases - such as Tesco and Argos.

Wider availability of broadband and increased consumer confidence about the safety of online shopping are among the factors being cited behind the boom in Christmas e-tailing.

Convenience has also been a major influence on the move to online shopping, with customers using the cheaper cost of online products and the avoiding the hassle of hiking around the high street in peak time.