Travel agents, mobile phone stores and banks may disappear from the high street as consumers buy more products online and resort to shops only for clothes and accessories, a report said today.
For holidays, MP3 players, bank loans and mobiles, the Internet is now the main driver for shopping habits, according to British market researcher ACNielsen.
But the report found at least 50 per cent of consumers in Britain still prefer to browse shops for fashion, jewellery and watches. It also investigated the Internet's role in shaping consumer choices along with that of traditional advertising, word of mouth, window shopping, previous experience and brand name.
Budget airlines and travel websites have helped boost the use of the Internet for choosing holidays in particular, with 60 per cent of shoppers rating it as the main influence.
"The High Street of the near future may well be devoid of the traditional travel agent, mobile phone store and high street bank, reserved entirely for fashion, jewellery, watches and other retailers selling merchandise that consumers need to see, feel and try on before they buy," said ACNielsen Europe's CEO and President Frank Martell.
The survey said online shopping's growing popularity over the past 10 years had also weakened the power of conventional advertising.
While print and TV adverts were still important for fashion and cars, Internet advertising, brand loyalty and personal recommendations proved more effective for other purchases.