Bargain hunters boost British e-retailers

China's army of online shoppers has helped make the United Kingdom the world's third-largest online exporter, after the United States and China, research has revealed.

A report released in November by PayPal and market researchers Ipsos MORI said 21.9 million Chinese had logged on to UK websites to buy goods in the previous 12 months.

Based on a survey that covered 29 countries, researchers found that 59 percent of Chinese respondents had purchased clothing, footwear and accessories from the UK in the past year; 57 percent cosmetics and other beauty products; and more than 40 percent groceries, food, drink and alcohol.