AS January draws on, shopping centres are beginning to return to peaceful normality after another hectic Christmas. But is the majority of the late scramble for presents now being done online?

A survey conducted two years ago showed that more Christmas shoppers are turning to the internet for their gifts than ever before. The statistics found that people were willing to spend an average of 41 per cent of their entire gift budget online.

According to the survey, 76 per cent of people were lured into shopping online due to the sheer ease of access. It provides a vast 24-hour shopping centre at the click of a button.

The majority of people were also attracted by the ability to save time and the wonderful prospect of avoiding the crowds. The survey’s prediction was that online shopping would continue to grow.

That prediction is now accurate as millions of people are choosing to dodge the High Street in favour of Amazon, eBay and other websites. The thought of having a parcel sent straight to your door is just too tempting when the alternative is an overspilling shopping centre.

With petrol prices reaching incredible new highs, saving on fuel is at the forefront of online customers’ minds, as is the wealth of internet bargains available.

The internet provides the useful advantage of speedy comparison - with websites able to scan for the best price in seconds. This task can take hours if you’re forced to visit shop after shop.

With endless gift options and hordes of bargains, it is unsurprising that even the most devoted shoppers are migrating from the stores to internet – a trend that looks set to continue.