However, a change in the system recently announced by the Ministry of Defence, means that thousands of British troops posted to various parts of the planet will be able to enjoy the same e-commerce affordability and convenience as those living permanently in the UK.

Personnel and their families will benefit from a series of online postcodes, which replace the incompatible British Forces Post Office (BFPO) service for online transactions.

Importantly, the troops will also be able to keep their credit history tied to the UK, which means that as well as enjoying safe shopping online, they can also use the web to search for mortgages, loans and lots of other important financial products.

Defence minister, Andrew Robathan, said that the flexibility of domestic e-commerce services was now able to benefit members of the UK’s armed forces, no matter where they happen to be.

Robathan also said that the MoD was determined to make life in the military as simple as possible from a practical point of view, so that families can get on with day to day activities without disruption.

BFPO spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Ian Stark, said that he was well aware of the major changes that this new system would make possible for overseas troops.

The new database of postcodes means that troops can use the internet just like anyone who lives in the UK, enabling them to buy the products they need on a regular basis.

This should have a knock-on boost to the UK’s online economy, which will doubtless grow, thanks to the flood of new prolific users.

Deloitte, the accountancy firm said that 69 retailers had collapsed, up from 60 in the same period the previous year, as the squeeze on consumer spending increased and on-line retailers with their low overheads offer better deals.

The retail collapses were responsible for up to 10,000 job losses, and further shows the delicate nature of retail at the moment.

Our friends in Canada have been reviewing some of the latest fashions for this spring and summer collections and one of the most enduring themes that is seen every year is nautical.

The nautical trend can sometimes turn into a fashion disaster, so by keeping things clean, crisp and classic, you will find it is easy to wear.

When you are looking for a nautical theme, then make sure you do not go too overboard with things.  Mix and match things in moderation or you will make your nautical fashion look too overdone.

You should “anchor” your look with something striped.  These can bring a powerful look to any nautical outfit, especially with those seaside colours of navy, red and black, mixed with white stripes.

Nautical certainly seems like an everlasting fashion option, so while you are considering your fashion for this year, make sure you check out our nautical offerings on our site too.  Click here to return to our online shop.

Consumers spent online a whopping £5.4 billion which was the equivalent of £106 per person during February.  Many were choosing their valentines gifts with many consumers choosing online-only retailers.

These figures are 10% higher than the same period last year however they the growth rate is actually half that from last year (20%).

Valentine’s Day offered a major boost for e-commerce as online gifts saw a 26% month-on-month rise and 22% on the same period last year.

There was a high performance for online-only and catalogue retailers, who recorded year-on-year growth of 13%.  High-street growth was only 8%, showing a higher tendency for using online than physically buying the products and are trusting their online retailers.

Recently, on leap day, many shoppers in Falmouth were drawn out into the wonderful sunshine and West Briton’s Go To Town! Day.

Many traders both online and offline were offering special discounts and promotions, with the added bonus of no charge for car parking, there was a great reason for a great day out.

Many of the local retailers found a great improvement in sales, including one nautical gift seller.

One of the retailers commented:

“I’ve been busy and yes, the campaign has helped, but the weather has also brought people out…”

“Giving them the option of free car parking and the sunshine has worked. We’ve had quite a few people taking up the offer of a 10 per cent discount…”

It is hoped that this lead will be followed by other local councils within Devon & Cornwall to encourage more of us outside and spending, rather than just waiting for the traditional tourism season to hit!

This week a report from the courier industry is showing that the demographic of customers using online shopping is changing, as the older generation are increasingly using the internet for e-commerce and online shops in general.

The combination of increasing range of demographics who are interested in shopping online and the number of offline companies that are now looking to develop their online presence means the number of transactions being carried out online will be boosted.

UK e-commerce is set to grow over the next five years, after nearly 40 percent of items that were delivered by UK couriers were sent from online shops.

Please take a look at our Online Gift Store and we look forward serving you – thanks for reading!

Firstly a very happy valentines day to all of you out there!

The 14th February actually has very little to do with St. Valentine and the tradition of St. Valentines Day which first appeared in the USA back in the 19th century was bought in to boost the sale of gifts.

An expert in such matters said:

“Few people know that part of St. Valentine’s relics was deposited in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow several years ago, during the time of Patriarch Alexii II. We do not deny the saint’s deeds, but his life does not give any grounds for romantic beliefs…”

Crystal Gifts have been very popular this year from High Tide.  No doubt the traditional flowers are the most popular gifts – with sales increasing 15 percent around Valentines Day each year.

Thanks for reading and we hope you receive the gifts you were hoping for this Valentines Day!

Hightide is pleased to announce we will be displaying this week at the NEC, Birmingham for this years 2012 Spring Fair.

We hope the snow doesn’t put many of you off visiting us this week!  The event itself will see 300,000 new product launches by us retailers and there will be 3,000 of us exhibiting over the course of the week.

There will also be plenty of speakers at the event discussing retail and the wider economy, with the message coming across that consumers are still spending their money, however it is a case of them being more choosy and careful with what they spend their hard earned money on.

Offer customers an excellent product with customer service as we do at High Tide and you will not go wrong in this climate!

We look forward to seeing you this week at the NEC!

This week we have heard the news that Groupon – the online discount website is to be investigated by the Office of Fair Trading.  The worldwide company has come in for a lot of criticism recently and may face criminal and civil charges.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has made the referral after “repeated breaches” which have now caused “serious concerns” about how it treats UK advertising regulation.

The OFT has also said it was carrying out its own investigation prior to the ASA raising its concerns.

So far in 2011, the ASA has already upheld 11 complaints against Groupon and resolved another 37.

One of the biggest complaints the OFT is looking at is “bait pricing” where an amazing offer is advertised to draw customers to the site, but on arrival find this offer is sold-out or no longer available.

Groupon said:

“We are constantly evolving business process to ensure customers receive the best possible experience at the highest standards. We are co-operating fully with the OFT to ensure that the rights of consumers are protected.”

There’s still time for you to find your Christmas gifts, so for free UK delivery for orders over £30 and money off vouchers for future purchases visit the Nautical Gift store now!