A 'PERFECT' shopping storm is being predicted as Black Friday - when retailers slash prices to provide bargain offers for early shoppers - and Mega Monday, the peak online shopping day before Christmas, are on the same weekend for the first time since 2008. 

South West retailers are feeling bullish about the coming festive season according to an independent survey of multi-channel retailers, commissioned by Barclays’ Retail & Wholesale banking team.

And nearly all - 97% - of the retailers questioned predicted that traffic will increase to their site on Mega Monday, compared to last year.

The survey found that 66% of retailers in the west are feeling more confident about Christmas trading compared to last year, which includes 21% who said they are far more confident.

Most of those who responded - 72% - also said that they expected revenues to increase, with over a fifth (21%) expecting sales to increase by 10% or more, compared to 2013.

Local retailers are expecting to see growth across all of their sales channels over Christmas, with shopping on tablet computers such as iPads predicted to take off.

The survey found that 38% of retailers said it would be their main sales channel from a growth perspective, ahead of stores at 17% and smartphones at 16%.

While in its infancy, retailers believe that shopping for gifts via social networking sites could increase by nearly a quarter (24%) compared to 2013.

Martin French, head of Bristol and Large Corporate South West at Barclays, said: “2014 has been a good year for many retailers in the South West thanks to heightened consumer confidence and this is clearly reflected in their brighter outlook for the Christmas season.

"It's interesting to see that purchases on tablets have been cited as retailers’ biggest opportunity for growth and social commerce is also one to watch in the future, as ‘buy buttons’ on social networking sites will make online shopping even more accessible.”

The popularity of American shopping days is on increase, with 64% of retailers planning Black Friday promotions on November 28, the day after Thanksgiving, one of the most important shopping days in the United States retail calendar.

Of those who responded to the survey, 67% said that they expect the popularity of Black Friday promotions to continue to grow in the UK in the years ahead.

Another tradition that has crossed the Atlantic is Mega Monday, usually the busiest online shopping day in America, which is set to fall on Monday, December 1, with 97% of the retailers who responded expecting that traffic will increase to their site on Mega Monday compared to last year.

Mr French said: “The UK hasn’t seen Black Friday and Mega Monday fall on the same weekend since 2008 so retailers will be pulling out all the stops to make it a great shopping experience with some dazzling offers.

"However, some consumers will opt to leave their Christmas shopping later than this, thanks to improved delivery and Click and Collect options.”

On Christmas Day nearly all - 99% - retailers expect traffic to their websites to be up, as shoppers look for sale bargains, with the peak time for online shopping predicted to be between 8pm and 10pm.