Tablet use during Christmas doubled in 2011

A recent study from eDigitalResearch and the Internet Marketing in Retail Group found the number of U.K. consumers using tablets for online shopping on Christmas Day and Boxing Day last month was double the number from the same two days in 2010.

The study showed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, 86 percent of British consumers were shopping online, and 8 percent were using tablets, up from 4 percent in 2010. The increase was expected, as iPads and Kindles were the most desired gifts in the U.K.

In addition, 45 percent of U.K. consumers visited social media sites on those two days, up from 20.8 percent in 2010.

"The rise in tablet use and social media sites is an indication for retailers what's to come in 2012 and it's important to optimise shopping and browsing use across all available channels in order to boost income and customer loyalty," said Derek Eccleston, head of research at eDigitalResearch.

In addition, Experian Hitwise reported 2.18 billion U.K. visits to online retailers in December 2011, and YouTube is the destination for one in four visits to social networks in the U.K. Google sites made up 91.75 percent of all searches conducted in Britain in December, a 0.67 percent increase from November.