The £3.3 billion e-spending boom predicted for the Christmas period will bypass the vast majority of small businesses in the Wiltshire region, according to a report from Business Link Berkshire and Wilt-shire.

The results of more than 3,000 interviews with firms across the region reveal that most businesses haven't yet woken up to the e-commerce and electronic trading revolution, with many failing to even use email in order to better promote their companies.

More shocking still however is the fact that plans to make the transition to electronic trading does not appear to be high on the agenda for these firms.

According to the survey, seven in ten businesses without a website and eight in ten without e-mail have no intentions of getting on-line within the next 12 months.

In fact, of those businesses which do operate a website, many offer only limited facilities to customers and corporate clients the most common service being basic information about products and services.

Peter Beech-Allen, e-business advice team manager at Business Link Berkshire and Wiltshire said: "Looking in isolation, it is difficult sometimes for a business to see the benefits that it may gain from engaging with existing and potential customers on-line.

"In order for businesses to take to e-business, they need to see for themselves the actual benefits in productivity and profitability, which means either having direct experience or gaining awareness via a similar company."

Added Mr Beech-Allen: "Any business talking to one of our e-business advisers will have an assessment of just how e-business could improve their own business."

For further information, contact 0845 600 4141.