The Great British Summer has failed to live up to its billing yet again with one of the wettest Julys on record. But rather than dampening our spirits the incessant wet weather has driven shoppers online, resulting in a record level of Internet sales for the month.

Research from the Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG) has revealed that Internet sales rose to £4.2bn in July, up from £2.34bn in the same month a year ago.

The news has come as a shock to many analysts, who thought that the recent rise in interest rates would deter consumers from spending. However, with outdoor pursuits floundering as a result of the wet and windy conditions it seems that the lure of online shopping has proved too strong.

Electrical goods were found to be the fastest growing sector with double the level of sales from a year earlier, with sales of clothing and accessories the other big mover with an increase of 60%.

Back in May we reported that online retailing had hit an all-time high and this story is further evidence that the growth in e-commerce is set to continue long into the future.

For more information on our experience with e-commerce sites see our portfolio. Or alternatively, get in touch and we can advise how best you can take advantage of these burgeoning trends.

Award winning site, BeltMe, has gained further recognition as a supplier of trendy, up-market fashion by appearing in this fortnight’s edition of popular womens glossy, More.

The feature, named “Paris loves Paris”, details Millionaire heiress and Simple Life star Paris Hilton’s obsession with any clothing or accessory with her name on it. Readers were invited to “get Paris’s look quick” and were suggested a number of ways they can get hold of their own personalised fashion items, including an advert and promo code for BeltMe.

Whilst we don’t necessarily agree with her driving methods or penchant for small dogs, she’s obviously got impeccable taste in belts. Paris, we salute you!

For more information on BeltMe, please visit BeltMe.co.uk

The Quality Improvement Agency (QIA) has been set up to spark fresh enthusiasm for innovation and excellence in the learning and skills sector.

Following a diligent selection process HeadRed were commissioned with updating the existing QIA intranet and to provide the client with their own newsletter system where they can send out new issues of their monthly staff magazine, “Insight”.

For more information on our work with the QIA, please visit their website.