AN online retail directory which offers secure transactions is capitalising on the boom in internet shopping by planning an expansion that could see it double its workforce.

Shopsafe.co.uk, based in Darlington, attracts 10,000 customers a day, and has grown since its inception ten years ago to be one of the biggest online shopping directories of its kind.

It is ranked as the second most popular website of its kind on internet statistics provider rank ing.com Now, after enjoying growth through the increasing popularity of the internet and online shopping, the company is looking to open a second office in Newcastle, in a move that could see the doubling of its ten-strong team.

Shopsafe.co.uk, run by web company Edward Robertson in the town’s Bondgate, works with about 4,000 major UK retailers – including Nike, Marks and Spencer, Debenhams and Tesco – all of whom offer a safe online shopping experience.

Checks on the security of the retailer’s site are done before it is accepted by the company.

The company’s new office could be open in the next 18 months, and the move would see the recruitment of at least ten new web programmers to help the Newcastle base emulate the success of the Darlington headquarters.

Director Simon Crisp – who founded Edward Robertson with business partner Graham Miller – director of shopsafe.co.uk, said the business is able to take advantage of the significant growth of the internet.

“Online retailing has grown beyond all recognition in the last ten years. When we started, there was Amazon and little more.

Google wasn’t even around then,”

he said. “For us to now have 4,000 retailers on the site and more than 350,000 unique visitors per month is great and we know that this can continue to grow.

“A base in Newcastle would allow us to tap into a whole new skills market and expand even further.

“Shopsafe.co.uk isn’t just about security, it does much more, such as offer voucher codes and advice to both consumers and retailers, and there is much more we can offer as we continue to grow.”