Today is predicted to be the busiest day for online Christmas shopping across the EU, with a leading credit card company anticipating it will process nearly 5,000 transactions a minute across Europe until midnight.
Seven million transactions will be made across Europe today as pay days and a need to shop early to ensure timely delivery coincide, according to research by Visa Europe.
The research shows Irish consumers are taking to the web in a big way and are set to spend €257 million in the run-up to Christmas. The average spend per shopper has been put at €155.
Visa Europe said the busiest shopping day in cities and towns is almost always two days before Christmas Day and while Christmas Eve is a Saturday this year, it said the trend would continue.
Irish people spend more on Christmas than consumers in any other country in Europe, according to the 10th annual Deloitte spending survey, published earlier this month.