ONLINE retailers have been bombarded with customers in what was expected to be their busiest day of the year as Christmas shoppers hit the net for 'Cyber Monday'.

Today is set to be their best selling day of the year, with predictions of a 70 per cent increase in sales as people take to the internet to buy Christmas presents.

Recent years have seen online shopping figures constantly peaking on the first Monday in December, as a result of many people receiving their last pay cheque before Christmas and hunting out bargains online.

Heydar Faramarzi, chairman of Swindon’s Chamber of Commerce is advising businesses in Swindon to use the internet to boost sales.

"Those who are not online lose out, so that is why we are encouraging businesses in Swindon in the retail industry to go online and take advantage of social media such as Facebook and Twitter, and take advantage of online marketing and promote their business as much as they can," he said.

“Christmas is just around the corner and going online is great to beat the rush and get presents online and because today is Cyber Monday it is reminding people to place orders.”

Consumers are expected to spend £222,222 per minute today with an equivalent of 4,722 transactions every 60 seconds.

Amazon.co.uk also predicts Cyber Monday is going to be its biggest single day, with orders set to peak at 9.20pm. While Asda Direct say they are expecting to see a 50 per cent spike in traffic in its electrical section, and on its fashion brand website George.com they predict they will shift 12,000 onesies.

The busiest shopping day on the high street is typically closer to the 25th and often falls two days before Christmas, with the weekend of December 22 and 23 expected to draw peak numbers of shoppers this year.