A survey conducted by retail firm Rakuten has revealed that 48 per cent of people in a number of the world’s biggest markets have already made purchases in order to get ready for the festive season at the end of the year.

This trend for preparing well in advance is not just something enjoyed in the UK, Europe and North America thanks to the widespread availability of safe shopping online; the study also found that it is an impactful trend in China and other parts of Asia.

Analysts went on to assess the ways in which consumers are taking advantage of the shopping services that are at their disposal, including investigating the trend for buying products from overseas retailers.

Europe is especially popular amongst consumers from other parts of the planet, with 40 per cent saying they would want to conduct safe shopping online with a site based in this continent.

China is Europe’s biggest supporter, with 66 per cent of Chinese consumers voicing their approval of the outlets and brands available.

Conversely, the US is a more desirable retail region of origin for people based in Singapore, showing that there are differences in fashions and perceptions from place to place.

The fact that consumers from China spend almost three times as much as shoppers based in the UK should mean that more online outlets will start to court overseas shoppers.

The web is helping to catalyse borderless retail experiences, although there are still a number of obstacles to address, including slow page load speeds, poor mobile experiences and problems with the speed and reliability of international shipping services.

Brits can also use the web to shop online for Christmas gifts with international retailers, but since the domestic market is so well established, there is not as much need to look elsewhere for deals.