Online shopping jumped to $12.8B in 2007: StatsCan

More Canadians are shopping online, with sales in 2007 rising to $12.8 billion, according to a Statistics Canada report released Monday.

"More than 8.4 million Canadians aged 16 and over made an online purchase in 2007, up from nearly 6.9 million in 2005," the federal agency said in a release. "They accounted for 32 per cent of Canadians in this age group, compared with 28 per cent in 2005."

Consumers in the 25 to 34 age bracket were the heaviest online shoppers, with 51 per cent reporting placing an online order. Regionally, Alberta led the country with half of its internet users aged 16 and up reporting shopping online in 2007.

Statistics Canada also reported 43 per cent of Canadians used the internet to research potential purchases, including consumer electronics, housewares, furniture, clothing, jewelery and accessories.

Of the shoppers who looked online, 64 per cent said they later went to a traditional bricks-and-mortar store to purchase the product.

About half of all Canadians said they were concerned about using their credit cards online because of security concerns. Among Canadians who were already online shoppers, 34 per cent said they were apprehensive about using their credit cards.