Turning to the internet to sell her wares has worked wonders for businesswoman Corrine Hill.

Since abandoning the high street and selling through cyberspace, Corrine, who has run Choice Baskets from her Skipton home since 2004, has increased turnover by 60 per cent.

Corrine, who has a background in finance, continued running the basket business from a small shop in Skipton, an environment not unfamiliar as she and her husband owned a newsagents.

Within 18 months, Corrine saw the potential for selling baskets beyond the restrictions of the shop, and a hike in her rent made her look at becoming an internet-based business instead.

She set about building her own website which has resulted in Choice Baskets becoming established as an online retailer.

Corrine said: “It soon became apparent that the rent, rates and utilities on the shop premises were costs that were essentially unnecessary. Although the shop was as busy as one could expect from a small market town outlet, I realised I could service far more customers a day without the need for it.”

After leaving the shop to concentrate wholly on the website, Corinne discovered the advantages of working from home.

She is no longer tied to shop hours and the fluctuations of trade which depended on aspects such as the weather, market days, and the number of tourists.

Since converting the business into an e-commerce operation, Corinne has achieved a more consistent performance.

Selling over the internet also means that customers are not confined to shop hours.

She said: “People are buying baskets at midnight, and all I have to do is check the orders in the morning and fulfill them.

“Of course, there’s more to it than that. I am the receptionist, order processor, packing manager, despatch clerk and tea lady, but it’s a great way to make a living.”

As orders have increased, Corinne has rented a storage unit, but the outlay is minimal when compared with that of the original shop.

She said: “I can generally make two trips a day; one to the storage unit and one to the post office. Beyond that, my time is my own to spend on the business or otherwise. It’s far less tying than a shop.”

The baskets she sells come from all over the world, and Corrine is careful to deal only with ethical fair-traders.

She said: “Many of the baskets on the market today are sub-standard. These are generally lighter in weight, with a more open weave which you can see through, betraying a poorer quality that will not stand the test of time.

“I will only sell baskets which are well-made from the best materials, and won’t sell cheap wicker.”

Unlike many other basket retailers, Corinne sells individual items rather than just in sets, and caters for a wide range of customers with products ranging from picnic hampers to laundry skips.