North East Regional Portal mirrors online shopping statistics

Online shopping growth outstripped the high street in May, an increase reflected by the North East Regional Portal (TNERP) which has seen the growth of its n-e-shopping.com site take the region by storm.

The findings, published by the Interactive Media in Retail Group, found UK shoppers spent over £1.5bn online during May, 35.6 per cent more than a year earlier and 13 per cent more than in April.

A regional example of this online success is CDx Ltd, a medical product testing company based in Sunderland. The company launched its SensoCard Plus blood glucose meter, a revolutionary talking blood glucose meter for visually impaired diabetics, via the n-e-shopping.com site in May. Taking £4,500 in trading in the first month alone, the company is now due to launch the product in the USA following its success in the UK.

Bill Cunningham managing director of CDx, says: “TNERP’s shopping mall has enabled us to attract a global market for the SensoCard Plus and we are astonished by the response we’ve received.

“When we first developed the SensoCard we did not have the funds to build and maintain a website and setting up a store for just one product would be impractical, so n-e-shopping.com provided the solution to our problem.

“For a minimal set up charge, and reasonable monthly management fee, the team at TNERP built and now manage the website, exactly to our requirements.”

Norma Foster, chief executive of TNERP, adds: “More and more people are opting to shop online as it’s a more attractive alternative to walking around the high street. It’s quicker, easier, you can shop around to get the best bargains and the products are even delivered directly to your door.

“These new statistics demonstrate how important it is for retailers to have an online presence, and for specialist retailers such as CDx, it is the ideal way to open a store on the back of a product launch.

“Many of the retailers who have set up an online store through our online mall have found it to be the most cost effective method, particularly as we have the secure payment facility in place and we can manage the content of each website at a very competitive price.”

For further information about the SensoCard Plus blood glucose meter visit www.n-e-shopping.com or www.cdx.uk.com, alternatively telephone 0191 564 2036.

A not-for-profit organisation and a fully owned subsidiary of the Regional Development Agency One NorthEast, TNERP represents the North East England online via its n-e-life.com website. It can also provide e-commerce advice, funding, e-tendering services and online shopping. For further information telephone 0191 487 2002 or visit www.n-e-life.com.