Shoppers prefer 'click and collect'

Click and collect is the fastest growing online shopping delivery service and could soon surpass

home delivery options.

According to figures from OC&C strategy consultants, the forecast of units ordered online but collected in store will overtake that for home delivery for the first time, increasing by 53m parcels, year on year, compared with a rise of 38m parcels for home delivery.

Currently the UK is the world's leading online export market, with a trade surplus of over 1 billion dollars in 2013.

For consumers, it can be more convenient than waiting at home for a delivery. For retailers, the model can improve the economics of selling via the internet.