Price-comparison websites could hold the key to the online success of banks, retailers and utilities companies as Britain becomes a nation of "rate tarts" constantly seeking out the best online buys, according to research published this week.

According to E-consultancy, for some financial services products, comparison sites can account for up to 50 per cent of their internet business. Price comparison for loans and credit cards is particularly popular among consumers, it added, while up to a third of new online business for car insurers comes from comparison sites.

E-consultancy analyst Linus Gregoriadis, said: "More and more consumers are using comparison sites to research products and services so they can find the best value products and services, whether they are looking for the best priced iPod or the most suitable mortgage.

"Online marketers across a range of sectors from retail to financial services realise that comparison sites are an important weapon in their armoury for driving online sales," he said.

The acquisition earlier this month of uSwitch, the British utilities comparison site, by the American media group EW Scripps for £210 million underscored the interest in the sites which allow customers to compare prices.

The deal outstripped other recent high-profile dotcom takeovers including the £175 million acquisition of Friends Reunited by ITV in December.

ComScore, the internet analysts, estimated that there were 14.9 million unique visitors to shopping comparison websites in February 2006, compared with 11.5 million for the same month last year.

The volume of traffic to comparison sites is growing twice as quickly as for online retail where the market has increased by 15 per cent in the last year, it said.

According to E-consultancy, the market analyst, retail-focused comparison sites recorded revenues of between £120 million and £140 million in the UK last year. Revenue growth this year is expected to outstrip the sites' anticipated 30 per cent-a-year increase in traffic.

Most comparison sites earn money by charging suppliers a commission for each customer lead. Sites such as uSwitch have sought to remain impartial by listing all suppliers - including those not paying commission.

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