BBC News Online: Business

E-tailers get their just e-wards

Traditional retailers have edged out new-fangled e-tailers in a set of UK awards that recognise outstanding online shops.

In total, old economy companies won five of the awards compared with only four for web-only e-tailers such as Amazon.

Catalogue store Argos was the biggest winner with consumers voting it best innovator, safest online shop and best net-based version of a high-street store.

The choices of the voters perhaps shows that when people go online they tend to pick the names they know from the offline world rather than try the untested.

Net pioneer Amazon picked up two awards, and organic food outfit Fresh Food Co picked up an award for best family e-business. Other well established net names such as Easyjet featured among the winners.

The awards were divided into categories that rewarded the different strengths of websites. Categories included Door2door for e-tailers that delivered, and Pain Free Shopping which was given to the store that made it easiest to buy online.

A panel of judges picked the shortlist that consumers then voted on. Votes were cast between 11 January and 11 February and over 42,000 regular e-shoppers sent in their votes.

"The sheer number of voters for the Visa e-tail awards demonstrates the speed at which UK consumers are realising the benefits of shopping online," said Andrew Pinder, the UK Government's e-envoy.