The trend first seen last Christmas of retailers in trouble first shutting down their online operations looks set to continue in the 2009 festive season.

As Retail Week first spotted, Borders UK has stopped taking orders on its website at borders.co.uk. Whilst the website is still up, click on any item and the message “Sorry, title cannot be purchased” appears.

“Sources have said Borders UK is worried it does not have enough money to trade through Christmas,” Retail Week explains. “It is understood that Borders UK is being advised by BDO Stoy Hayward on several alternatives to a sale, one of which would be placing the chain into administration. It is thought the chain has been seeking to offload some of its stores in a bid to raise cash.”

Related news

• Internet Retailing 2009: Internationalisation — how personalising your ecommerce site works across borders
• The shape of Christmas future: Over half of Brits will up online spending for Xmas 2009
• Christmas 2009 will be far better for retailers than expected says Retail Think Tank
• Early signs suggest booming sales online in the final week of the Christmas shopping season
• John Lewis and Waitrose report online sales rise this Christmas
• One in six online shoppers did not receive gifts in time for Christmas: report