Online shoppers set for £13bn spending spree as Monday is tipped to be busiest online shopping day of the year

• Spending boom to come early after last year's snow meant many missed out
• £424m to be spent between now and Christmas (£300,000 a minute)
• Online sales tipped to reach more than £13bn over festive period

By Sadie Whitelocks
Updated: 04:07 EDT, 21 November 2011

Do you dread the thought of the High Street sales? You’re not alone.

A survey suggests that millions of us find traipsing round the shops more stressful than moving house.

Of those questioned, 69 per cent dislike the crowds, while some  60 per cent become frustrated that they cannot find what they’re looking for because shops are  so ‘untidy’.

Mega Monday: According to forecasts online shopping sales are expected to reach £424 million over the course of the day

Millions of UK consumers are expected to scour the internet for festive bargains and Christmas gifts on Monday, tipped to be the busiest shopping day of the year.

Dubbed Mega Monday, it is anticipated that sales will reach £424million over the course of the day, with people spending on average, around £300,000 a minute.

In the run-up to Christmas it is expected that more than £13billion will be spent online - a further blow to the high street where sales are expected to drop by 2.1 per cent.

It is usually the Monday closest to December, when shoppers receive their last monthly pay packet that this internet phenomenon occurs.

But according to research shopping comparison website Kelkoo, people are stocking up early as extreme weather caused a backlog of orders last December.

Yule tide: Many say that online shopping is more convenient and less stressful

A spokesperson at Kelkoo, said: 'With £424 million being spent on just one day, Monday will be a hugely significant day for online retailers.

'Overall, the six weeks in the run-up to Christmas will be a time for e-tailers to really boost their sales figures at the end of a challenging trading year.'

The estimated figures are a considerable increase from last year.

According to a study commissioned by online consultancy Tealeaf, shoppers only spent £2.8bn online over the same period in 2010.

Popular purchases included Apple gadgets such as the iPad and iPod Touch, televisions, video games, Lego toys and the children's Mini Micro scooter.

Lunch time was the busiest time as millions of office workers logged on at their work computers.

The peak minute was at 1.15pm  where e-tailers collectively took £832,000.

Last year’s online Christmas sales were up 44 per cent on the previous year, and this year it is believed technological advances will further boost sales.

The Centre for Retail Research forecasts that some 12 per cent, or £1.64bn worth of shopping will be done via mobile phone.

A spokesperson from Kelkoo added: 'In particular, we were interested to see that this year, shopping on mobile phones is set to increase significantly, opening up more opportunities for retailers to sell any place, any time.'

With a quarter of the UK public now doing Christmas shopping online, retailers are being urged to prepare their web-based store fronts for surges in demand, especially if they are offering attractive deals.

It is believed 33.7 per cent of online spending will be on gifts, 24.5 per cent on Christmas travel, 20.6 per cent on decorations and 6.7 per cent on food and drink.

People revealed convenience, reduced stress and cheaper prices as reasons for buying gifts on the internet.

According to sales website Showroomprive.co.uk a fifth of Brits find high street shopping more stressful than commuting while others said they would prefer a trip to the dentist.