International online sales are predicted to increase 63 per cent over the November to December shopping period compared to the same two months in 2019, according to research from cross-border e-commerce firm eShopWorld (ESW).

With lockdown directives varying from market to market, cross-border e-commerce sales have remained at record levels, said ESW.

It predicts a 56 per cent and 70 per cent year-on-year increase in November and December respectively, even though the peak trading period overall is marked by uncertainty.

These latest figures follow predictions that international online sales would increase during October, as consumers shopped earlier for xmas, pulling sales forward and away from the traditional “twin peaks” of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Tommy Kelly, chief executive of ESW, said: “We saw a 113 per cent year-over-year increase in same-store global online sales in October, and we’re confident the end of the year will follow the same pattern.”

He said: “Although consumers began their peak shopping earlier this year, a predicted increase in sales throughout November and December suggests that the “typical” xmas shopping season will be active, as always.”

The growth of cross-border e-commerce sales is in contrast to figures detailed in the Confederation of British Industry’s (CBI) latest monthly distributive trades survey, which showed UK retail sales fell at their fastest pace in four months in October, as people reined in their spending in the face of more Coronavirus restrictions.

“Now is the time for UK brands and retailers to embrace the cross-border opportunity as addressing this customer demand has become a business necessity,” said Kelly.

“Selling internationally not only means greater and more diverse audiences, but also additional opportunities to optimise marketing efforts to capitalise on multiple shopping events during the year and match seasonal inventory to local seasons,” he said.

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