Print
According to a new report, shoppers continue to hop online at an increasing rate and are poised to spend $33.4 billion in 2009. If that number holds up, it will represent a 13.3 percent hike in online shopping compared to 2008. In 2010, the report says online shoppers will spend even more, reaching as high as $49.8 billion.
VerdictResearch, the company who put together the UK e-Retail 2009 report, notes cheaper prices and easier bargain hunting as reasons for the rise, in addition to a greater availability of free shipping offers.
"Those with less money to spend are turning to the Internet to search out bargains on the branded items like electricals," said Malcom Pinkerton, author of the report.
While the sales numbers are up, the report notes that the number of shoppers has not risen at the same rate as in previous years and was "considerably less" in 2008 than in 2007.
Comments are closed on this article
allie_valenza
May 25, 2011 at 10:07am
Of course that online shopping is on the rise! It is very easy, fun and it doesn't take a lot of effort. I personally love it. I started to do more online shopping after I came back from my vacation in Singapore. Singapore shopping wasted me. I went to so many shops and when I got back to the hotel I was very tired. Then I decided that online shopping is the best!
KarinaB
May 04, 2011 at 9:22pm
I love shopping online! It’s easier and faster. I buy clothes, gifts and cosmetics. The last thing I bought is an Acqua Di Gio perfume, and I can’t wait to receive it to see how it’s like. I’ve never used it before. That’s what I wanted to point out… there are things you buy not knowing if they fit you properly. I guess that’s the only disadvantage.
robert03
September 02, 2010 at 7:49am
I am not surprised about this finding, most of the people i know are shopping online on a daily basis. Perhaps the recession is one of the reasons why they act like this, you can get better deals online, various discounts and offers. Even i choose to buy most of the items i need using the internet, food is one of the few things that i still buy directly from the market.
jcollins
June 08, 2009 at 12:53pm
Well, depending on where you are, pay 10 plus percent more per item or not.... Depending on the cost, 10 plus percent more than covers the shipping and handling. However, I forsee a lot of internet companies failing once a universal type of tax coverage goes in.
horzo
June 08, 2009 at 11:24am
I did a significant amount of my shopping online anyway, but after California recently jacked up its sales tax, I've been making a point of buying nothing other than food and gas from local retailers.
ahenkel
June 08, 2009 at 7:56am
I do all my non essential shopping online. The only things I don't buy is food or clothes. I don't have to deal with crowds of people. Its easier to comparsion shop. I can do it at 3am in the morning. No pushy sales people. the list could go on and on.
Dictated but not read
yogurt80
June 08, 2009 at 9:01am
I agree. I'd also add that for me, I live in a small town. This leads to 3 things-
1, Many things that are available to larger cities are not available in my town. There's not even a store within 50 miles that carries home theater components, or any specilty computer items
2. As nice as it would be to support the small "mom n pop" stores, it's a recession, and no one can afford the $ to pay their extra overhead,
3 Because of the recession, and this abovetheory, all the local businesses must close, forcing us to choose either a 100 mile drive to the city; wasting gas to go where where taxes are higher, or shopping online. In the last year, there have been over 20 businesses on my downtown strip closed down, several of which have been part of the community for decades.
