Small firms that do not have a website are a risk of losing out to competitors that do, one expert has claimed.

According to Doctor Adam Le Gresley, head of operations at Technology Means Business, even if customers know how to locate a firm geographically, having a website is still "very important".

He said: "Surveys have shown that a large number of people, when trying to locate a particular product or a specific business, will start off using a search engine.

"If your company is not listed [on a search engine] or doesn't have a website, it is likely that a new non-referred customer will choose the next best provider they find."

Earlier this month, the Interactive Media in Retail Group revealed that 97 per cent of people in the UK with internet access has made an online purchase.

Worldwide, 85 per cent of those with internet access have used it to make a purchase.

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