The reality of the internet is that many retailers are still getting to grips with operating online stores and continue to find it a tough task handling the rapid growth in virtual store sales that are still significantly outpacing those in physical stores.

One of the big issues concerns age verification, which is a serious issue in stores but seems to have escaped the notice of retailers operating online shops. On the High Street it is very difficult for anybody underage to wander into a shop and buy knives, glue, fireworks, alcohol, tobacco, Lottery tickets, 18 certificate DVDs & games, without being challenged. Many tills will automatically prompt the sales assistant to ask for some form of age verification before the transaction can be completed.

But go online and it is extremely easy for any underage person to buy any of these potentially dangerous items because online retailers often regard a credit or debit card as verification of the age of the individual using it...