Lifestyle changes such as the growing number of women in full-time employment and the increasing number of hours spent at work each week have led to a more hectic pace of lifestyle for many individuals, with particular restrictions placed on available leisure time. The home shopping market should therefore grow as a result, with many adults not being able to find time for shopping on the high street.

However the home shopping market in NI and RoI is relatively small in comparison with the UK and other European countries. Mail order is the largest segment,, representing 56.2% of the total home shopping market in NI and 56.5% in RoI. Direct selling is the smallest market segment, accounting for 25% and 20% of the total market in NI and RoI respectively. Retail sales through e-commerce are growing, despite the fact that fewer than 10% of adults in RoI have purchased goods over the Internet in the past 12 months, in contrast with 17% of individuals in NI.

About the market:

Lifestyle changes such as the growing number of women in full-time employment and the increasing number of hours spent at work each week have led to a more hectic pace of lifestyle for many individuals, with particular restrictions placed on available leisure time. The home shopping market should therefore grow as a result, with many adults not being able to find time for shopping on the high street.

However the home shopping market in NI and RoI is relatively small in comparison with the UK and other European countries. Mail order is the largest segment,, representing 56.2% of the total home shopping market in NI and 56.5% in RoI. Direct selling is the smallest market segment, accounting for 25% and 20% of the total market in NI and RoI respectively. Retail sales through e-commerce are growing, despite the fact that fewer than 10% of adults in RoI have purchased goods over the Internet in the past 12 months, in contrast with 17% of individuals in NI.