Digital marketing agencies could seek to improve online sales conversion by investing in TV advertisements to accompany their internet shopping sites.

In a poll of 4,000 people in the UK, over two-thirds admitted that they browsed the internet at least occasionally while watching TV programmes and adverts, which is eight per cent more than last year, according to a survey conducted by Deloitte on behalf of the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival.

One in five 18 to 24-year-olds revealed that after seeing a product advertised on TV that they liked, they were prone to searching for it and then purchasing it online, making this advertising platform the third most powerful transactional influence for this young age group.

Other enticement factors included seeing a product or service in a shop and receiving recommendations from friends and family, however social media was found to have less influence on consumer spending habits. Facebook only persuaded three per cent of people in this demographic group to make a purchase, while Twitter fared slightly worse at two per cent.

Jolyon Barker, global lead for technology, media and telecommunications at Deloitte, claimed that the television industry should consider how best to use this opportunity for increased online sales and media presence.

She argued: “The optimal response is not straightforward.

“Taking a share of the transaction value may precipitate an undesired wholesale shift to commission-based advertising. Given television’s role in brand-building such a move could be counter-productive.”

Ms Barker warned that TV programming that was deemed by the public to be “too overtly created to sell merchandise may trigger a viewer backlash”.

In a separate study by eMarketer, consumers between the ages of 34 and 45 years old were found to watch more TV than any other age segment, while also being very familiar with online media channels such as social media, video content, search engines and mobile technology.