Irish consumers top the table of internet buys

IRISH consumers have swapped the old fashioned door-to-door salesman for cross-border shopping on the internet. They top the EU league for using modern technology to get what they want outside the country.

But the survey, commissioned by Consumer Affairs Commissioner David Byrne, shows people are still very slow to take advantage of the EU’s no-borders single market. Overall, only 13% of people bought goods outside their own country in the past year and most of that was on holiday or special cross-border shopping trips.

But despite living on an island, Irish shoppers were more likely to buy from another country than the average EU citizen, most of whom are just a train-ride from their neighbouring country. Almost half the goods bought cost €200 or more. Those most likely to buy using their computers were the self-employed, managers and young people. T hose working in the home as well as the retired rarely used the internet. Commissioner Byrne said cross-border shopping still appeared to be stuck at a low level. “The potential for cross-border shopping to take-off does appear to be there, both on the part of business and consumers,” he said.