Despite economy, Web retailers expect growth

More consumers shop online due to rising gas prices

By Marcy Magiera -- Video Business, 11/7/2008

NOV. 7 | Over half of online retailers expect to post sales growth of 15% or more during the holiday season, according to the eHoliday Study of retailers and consumers conducted by Shopzilla for the National Retail Federation’s digital division, Shop.org.

However, the rate of growth is slowing: three-fourths of retailers surveyed last year expected their sales to grow more than 15%. This year, another third of retailers expect “fair” growth of up to 14%, and just 12% expect sales to be flat or down during the holidays.

One factor working in their favor: gas prices. Among consumers who said they plan to do more of their holiday shopping online this year, 23% said higher gas prices were a factor. Only 9% of those online shoppers said gas prices were a factor last year.

Why Consumers Shop Online

Source: Shop.org eHoliday Study/BizRate Research
*Survey asked consumers who said they will spend more online this year for their Top 3 reasons