Posted on 11/25/2005 12:55:45 PM PST by Cagey
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - U.S. online holiday sales are expected to hit nearly $20 billion this year and should take off on Monday, when consumers return to work and their fast Internet connections after the long Thanksgiving weekend.
"Cyber Monday," the term coined for the Monday after Thanksgiving, comes on the heels of the busy "Black Friday" shopping day when many brick-and-mortar retailers begin turning a profit.
The good news for online shoppers this year, is that "Cyber Monday" is becoming the Web shopping equivalent to "Black Friday" when retailers launch major sales and discounts to drive traffic, analysts said.
Consumers are seen spending $19.6 billion on non-travel goods on U.S. Internet sites during November and December, up 24 percent from $15.8 billion during the same period last year, according to comScore Networks.
That accounts for less than 5 percent of total holiday sales in the United States but excludes large corporate purchases and sales on auction sites like eBay Inc. (EBAY), the most popular shopping site on the Web.
"Most people who shop online do it at work, not at home," despite rising rates of high-speed home Internet connections, said Jay McIntosh, Americas director of retail and consumer products at Ernst & Young. Work connections tend to be faster than those at home, he said.
While companies like Amazon.com (AMZN) were first to make a splash selling online, traditional retailers have helped to drive sales with investments in their own Web sites and by offering consumers the chance to return Web purchases at physical stores, McIntosh said.
Concerns about returns and the inability to touch and feel items are major issues now for consumers who in recent years had listed security as a top Web-shopping worry, he said.
FREE SHIPPING RULES
While today's Web shoppers are wooed by conveniences such as avoiding store lines and driving costs, as well as price-comparison tools offered by Shopping.com (SHOP), Shopzilla, Yahoo Shopping (YHOO) and Google's (GOOG) Froogle, a survey from online retailer association Shop.org said the biggest draw was free shipping offers.
Jupiter Research analyst Patti Freeman Evans said consumers will be more concerned about prices this year due to higher home heating costs and added that many shoppers believe they can find better deals online because there is more choice.
"Pricing online is competitive. Sometimes you can get better deals online, sometimes you can get them in stores with sales and coupons and rebates," she said.
I'm not instructing the sheep to do anything.
I'm simply observing (and commenting upon) their sheepy-ness.
Thanks. I used to be a Supervisor for Eastbay, a sporting goods store in Wausau, Wisconsin. Sometimes I handled all the customers that called with complaints or problems.
If I ever need some skin, I know who to ask.
Besides, with more and more Americans connected to broadband Internet, online shopping is actually a breeze to do nowadays.
ROFL!
It was yesterday.
Got most of the major stuff for the girls and told hubby what her was getting me for Christmas...(grin)
All the other gifts and stocking-stuffers are gotten locally, so we do our part in supporting the nation wide economy. :)
The article rings true...online buying is fantastic. No hassles, free shipping all over the place, no tax, and comparison shopping bigtime. I use Shopzilla, Dealtime to look for the lowest prices on items.
Who needs the hassle of a crowded, overpriced mall where I have to pay 8% sales tax on top of a marked-up item? Malls always price gouge, they do it subtly but they have to do it to make overhead. No need to hunt for a parking space...I can shop in my bathrobe and nightie...LOL
* ALWAYS order online instead of calling it in over the phone. People screw up the orders big-time.
Many times a person who is not really familiar with our merchandise will order one item, thinking they've ordered a similar item. If a company provides you with an 800 number, call them up. Get their advice. Tell them you want to order the item yourself, but let them walk you through their website and inventory, while placing the order yourself, online, as you're discussing it with them.
I have done a ton of shopping online for ten years now and it is fantastic. You find exactly what you want, compare prices, zip through check out and it shows up at my house in a few days. Never had a prob.
If you shop a lot online and are concerned about packages being left at your house (either because of weather or potential theft), rent a P.O. box. They are cheap and they hold your stuff inside, nice and safe, until you are ready to pick it up. Other advantage is you don't put your street address out on the internet.
"they hold your stuff inside" = the Post Office holds your stuff inside
Oh, one more advantage of getting a p.o. box and using it for your online shopping --- you never have to worry if you go out of town unexpectedly or whatever. No asking the neighbor to bring in your fedex packages, etc.
Will you be exchanging gifts with any friends or relatives this coming Christmas?
Most of my shopping has been done already -- online! I will finished next Saturday -- online!
Why is it that almost any consumer/economic thread has to have a resident "Turd in the Punch Bowl"
People who have fewer distractions at work obviously don't teach.
Great suggestion. I am usually here or can have a neighbor pick up any boxes UPS or Fedex leaves so it's not a problem for me on my street. I have to give online shopping a huge thumbs up over hitting a mall any day. The only reason I'd go to a mall would be to try on clothing, which I do...but everything else I buy online.
People who shop at work often--not always, but often--are the ones who spend at least some time each work day surfing the net anyway.
I have a popular website and, believe me, when I check the traffic statistics, MOST of the visits come from people's workplaces! It's rather hilarious sometimes.
Also the selection online is so great! I have found so many cool and useful things that I would have never happened upon in stores.
If I have a particular task, say, I think I could use a tool or gadget for, put in some search terms and often I am amazed that of course there is something already out there that is just what works for me.
Then there's stuff such as vacuum cleaner bags (before we went bagless)---remember running all around town to find the right one? Not online. Find it. Buy it. Done.
I bought a cheap little hp printer for one of my computers. When the ink cartridges are about done, a box comes up that takes me to a page of retailers selling my cartridges (Staples, Office Depot, etc.). The computer remembers exactly which cartridge I need, I compare prices, click and buy.
Aren't these savings statistics measured by what you have in a savings account?
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