Those shopping for Christmas hampers and other gifts for loved ones will do so in an ultra-efficient manner, according to new research. A survey by eBay revealed that 43 per cent of people will complete their shopping in less than six hours, with many planning to use the internet to source and buy their presents. Nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) said they will shop in this way, compared with 60 per cent who plan to explore the high street. The study showed that £31.5 billion has been spent in the first half of 2011 by consumers shopping online. Another noticeable trend is the number of people planning to buy gifts via their mobile phone, with five per cent claiming they intend to follow this path. On average, people will spend £250.91 on 18 gifts for ten people, the survey showed. Julia Hutton-Potts, spokesperson for eBay, said: "The web has made us a nation of smart, savvy shoppers who want to make the whole process of Christmas gifting as simple as possible." Mark Reeves, senior vice-president of international sales at Entrust, recently urged consumers to make sure they are buying goods - which could include Christmas hampers - from credible websites.
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