Lastminute.com, the beleaguered e-tailer, is feeling the heat from the scores of new online competitors that have emerged to attack its market share in the past 12 months.

Figures soon to be released by global internet research firm Jupiter MMXI show that over the crucial Christmas period Lastminute failed to expand what is known in the industry as its 'reach' - the company's share of the total internet population.

The company's website attracted more than 500,000 visitors last December, 200,000 more than in the same month the previous year.

But as more and more consumers have ventured onto the internet over the last year, Lastminute's reach has remained static. Jupiter's research shows that the company's share of the internet population in December was 4.2 per cent, only 0.1 per cent up on its position the previous Christmas.

Alternative figures released by Nielsen/NetRatings show that in June last year Lastminute was attracting more than 485,000 visitors - but this had fallen to 354,000 by December.

Nick Jones, senior analyst with Jupiter, said: 'The good news is it hasn't gone down. That would have been very disappointing. But the question is what group are they targeting?

'It was popular with early adopters but can it go mass market? Maybe it has already reached that segment of the market it will ever reach.'

Jones said Lastminute's failure to expand its market share was a result of fierce competition.

'There are more people online now, but there are also many more purchasing options,' Jones said. 'All the traditional retailers are online now; you don't have to visit Lastminute.'

Earlier this month the company told The Observer it was happy with its Christmas trading figures and would give a fuller update at its next set of results.

However, concerns over whether its business can permeate the mass market, crucial if the company is ever to justify its once-massive £500 million valuation, continue to linger.

The company has seen its share price slide from a year high of 555p to 79p now.