Consumers 'want low prices'

The growth of low-price internet shopping has fuelled expectations of lower prices among consumers, according to a new study.

Research by online auction site eBay found that almost half of British shoppers are now so used to getting a discount that nothing less than half price would be considered a bargain.

This was found to be the case in online and offline commerce, with both men and women turning to the internet and the high street to find potential bargains.

Commenting on the findings, business consultant Professor Colin Coulson Thomas observed that although people have hunted for bargains for many years, they have only recently begun to share their buying secrets.

He added: "With online sites and round the clock shopping at our fingertips it's becoming easier to buy things at low prices.

"If you miss today's best buy there will be other opportunities tomorrow."

The study found that people living in Sheffield, Brighton and Edinburgh were the most likely to get a bargain, while those in Belfast, Glasgow and Manchester got the fewest discounts.

This follows recent research by swiftcover.com, which found that more than one in four people believed it would be more expensive to go shopping if they were not able to compare prices on the internet.

People aged over 65 were the most likely demographic to hold this view, with 28 per cent saying the internet had saved them money.

© Adfero Ltd

9 Jul 2007 13:13:54 (Source: Adfero)