Bloxx, the innovator in Web and email security, today highlighted that the projected increase in online shopping in the run up to Christmas could end up having a significant impact on business productivity if not proactively managed.

A new report from Google on online shopping has highlighted that this year shoppers will start their research and buying earlier and plan to spend more. The projected increase in online spending is also highlighted in the most recent IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index report that forecasts yearly growth of 14%. According to CareerBuilder, 50% of online shopping takes place during working hours.

"In the lead up to Christmas it's all too easy for staff to become distracted and end up spending excessive time online researching or purchasing gifts" said Graham Twaddle, Bloxx's Chief Technology Officer, "but proactively managing this with a comprehensive Internet Acceptable Use Policy and a flexible Web filtering solution mitigates the risks."

Most Web filters, which just block a list of pre-determined inappropriate Web sites, offer simple "yes" or "no" access to shopping or productivity-hogging game, entertainment or sports sites. However, Bloxx's real-time Web content filtering lets organizations set comprehensive, yet flexible, security and Web access policies.

This kind of control and visibility into employees' Web use lets organizations set access policies based on specific times of day (e.g. lunch breaks) or quotas (e.g. 30 or 60 minutes), and can be seasonally adjusted to allow access to different categories of content (e.g. allowing someone, for example, to shop for holiday deals on "sports equipment" but not access a "sports gaming" site).

About Bloxx
Headquartered in the UK with sales offices in Holland, the USA and Australia, Bloxx offers Web and email filtering and security for medium and large organizations in both the business and public sectors. Bloxx has achieved unrivalled sales growth year-on-year to become a leading Web filtering provider with an estimated 5 million+ users worldwide. Leading UK investment groups Archangel Investments Ltd and Braveheart Investment Group Plc have invested in Bloxx. For more information, visit http://www.bloxx.com

Editorial Contacts
Interviews, photography and further information are available from Carolyn Bowick at Bloxx.
Tel: +44 (0)7824 535440 or +44 (0)1506 426976
Email: pr@bloxx.com