This year is likely to see e-commerce gaining even more forward momentum, according to information management firm hybris (here).

New technologies, better accessibility to websites, improved usability, the growth of Web 2.0 products and greater integration with physical stores are all likely to have a positive impact and build on the strong online sales figures witnessed over the Christmas period.

hybris chief executive Ariel Ludi commented: “Many new technologies are coming on-stream ready for 2007 and end-user and business trends mean that the convergence of these will see a massive drive for e-commerce in 2007.

“Many consumers are willing to adopt new technologies as the benefits of online shopping become widely recognised; this, along with the willingness of retailers and businesses to try to push out new types of service will see many new types of e-commerce emerging in the market.”

Future trends identified by hybris include One-Page-checkout facilities, leading to better usability; greater community and user input; increased use of virtual sales catalogues with intuitive turning of pages; increased accessibility of digital downloads; and more cross-selling between partners.

It is certainly an exciting time to be involved in internet advertising, as more and more blue chip firms allocate larger sums to online campaigns, while services such as Google’s AdWords and Microsoft’s Office Live make it easier for small companies to capture a share of the market too.