According to IMRG's e-Retail Index, U.K. online shoppers spent �68 billion in 2011, which was an increase of more than 16 percent over online spending reported in 2010.

A new report from Kelkoo predicts online retail sales in the U.K. will increase 14 percent in 2012, after U.K. shoppers spent around �1,500 on products per person in 2011.

A recent study from Intersperience discovered 15 percent of shoppers bought Christmas presents throughout the 12 months before the holiday in 2011.

The recent sales monitor from the British Retail Consortium and KPMG found an increase in U.K. shoppers purchasing online in the month of December.

Now that the holidays are over, retailers are calculating their sales numbers from the end of 2011 to see what worked and how they can improve next year.

BrandAlley U.K. recently announced it was the U.K.'s leading provider of online private sales in 2011, and expects to maintain its No. 1 ranking throughout 2012.

Retail experts are predicting that the last week of December, which included Christmas Day and Boxing Day, will post the highest retail sales for 2011, beating the pre-Christmas rush that typically produces the highest sales results.

Recent figures from the Office for National Statistics showed that despite a drop in bricks-and-mortar sales for the month of November, the ecommerce industry in the U.K. is continuing to grow.

Ofcam's sixth International Communications Market report found the U.K. is a nation full of online shoppers, as more people are accessing online stores for purchases than in other major countries.

Online retailers are reporting high sales of electronic goods from customers looking for extra discounts by using voucher codes.