Online retail will not replace high street operations just yet, according to retail recruiters.

Despite the slowdown on the high street, Monday was the biggest online shopping day this year, with sales volumes up 18% and values up 14% as consumers flocked online to purchase their Christmas presents, according to online market intelligence firm Hitwise.

But Louise Wright, director at Oyster Retail Recruitment, told Recruiter that online operations would supplement not replace high-street outlets with shoppers seeing online as a quicker option when time is precious.

“Everyone knows there are sales but people are putting in as many hours as possible to make those businesses work. People are shopping online because it is quicker and easier and people can still get their sale prices online. People are fighting to work as hard as possible in a recession. Online you tend to purchase more because it is quicker and easier. When people are being made redundant, they want to be seen to be giving 150%.”

Steve Walters, director at Blue Monday, adds: “It is not one or the other. Most online retailers have derived from some high street retailer presence. At the moment, it is a mixture of both. You still need that touch, feel, smell which you can’t create online. You wouldn’t have the new Westfield shopping centre open in London if that was the case.”