Knowing a thing or two about successful online trading, Amazon have recently submitted a planning application to Manchester City Council, to build a site close to the M56 motorway.
If the plan goes ahead, the new warehouse could potentially create around 1,500 new jobs.
Amazon currently has 10 storage facilities across the UK, so the potential that an eleventh is possible remains exciting news.
Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, said: “The news that Amazon is creating 1,500 jobs at Airport City is tremendous for Wythenshawe and Manchester as a whole.”
Online retailing in general is big business.
Close to £1billion is expected to be brought in for online retailers from the recent Cyber Monday – the internet exclusive shopping day, without any of Black Friday’s usual in-store frenzy.
In fact, many businesses such as mattress company Evemattress.co.uk, have made a choice to only sell their products online, with a point of ‘cutting out the middle men’.
It’s predicted that Cyber Monday’s sales will increase by 31% from last year, as the shopping day sees prices slashed dramatically on online items across the board.
Analysts are even noting a slight dip in Black Friday shopping, as it appears that consumers are generally preferring to shop online.
Diane Wehrle, an insights director from Analysts Springboard, explained: “The volume of activity in retail stores over the Friday and Saturday of the Black Friday weekend is lower than last year and the evidence clearly points to the fact that much of this is due to a significant increase in shoppers using online to participate in the event.”
It may come as no surprise that shoppers might prefer to find bargains on electrical items from the comfort of their own homes, as Black Friday’s crowds are notorious for arguments and wide-scale scuffles breaking out.
This time last year, a woman was treated for minor injuries after being struck by a falling television, and a man was arrested after threatening to hit a staff member in the face.
Image courtesy of Mcwesty, via Wikipedia, with thanks.
