Savvy Shetlanders were the busiest online shoppers in the UK over the Black Friday weekend, a survey has revealed.
The islands ranked top of the list of areas recorded by Royal Mail where shoppers made the most online purchases over weekend.
Residents in the Western Isles came second, with Orcadians close behind in the fourth spot.
Top 10 UK hotspots
1. Shetland Islands
2. Hebrides (Western Isles)
3. Carlisle
4. Kirkwall (Orkney)
5. Dumfries
6. Redhill
7. Reading
8. St Albans
9. Galashiels
10. Chelmsford
The top 10 list is based on analysis of parcels accepted from retailers and businesses into the Royal Mail network between November 25 and December 1.
Black Friday is the biggest cyber shopping event of the year with scores of retailers participating and cutting prices for one day.
The event – which takes place the day after Thanksgiving – usually marks the beginning of Christmas shopping.
Further research from Royal Mail shows nearly half, or 45% of UK adults received more parcels in the first lockdown.
They found that deliveries can have an emotional impact, with more than 36% of people claiming receiving a parcel was the highlight of their day.
Nick Landon, chief commercial officer at Royal Mail, said: “2020 has been a year like no other and we expect that Christmas will be very different for many people across the UK too.
“Given our unparalleled reach across the UK, we’re uniquely placed to reveal the Black Friday weekend online shopping hotspots for 2020.
“It’s no surprise to see that ahead of Christmas, parcel delivery is as important for our rural customers as it is for our city customers.
“Everyone at Royal Mail is proud to help keep the country safe and connected and we are looking forward to delivering even more Christmas cheer over the coming weeks.”