Switched has a new home! Huffpost Tech.

Click here to visit the new home of Switched!

Hot on HuffPost Tech:

See More Stories
AOL Tech

Strong Online Sales Predicted for Holiday Season

by Lee Bains on November 11, 2008 at 05:30 PM



While experts foresee little to no increase in overall retail sales this holiday season, they do expect a 12-percent growth in online sales, Time.com reports.

In light of the economy's downswing, there are any number of reasons behind these predictions. First off, while gas prices are momentarily down, logging on to a Web site is still significantly cheaper than driving to a store (even when you factor in shipping), let alone driving all around town to find the best price.

Also, some experts posit that online shopping provides a more direct route to a desired purchase, offering less temptation to make impulse purchases. (While that sounds plausible, we beg to differ. Just try buying one album on iTunes.)

Another reason offered up for these predictions centers on the newfound popularity of sites that meld the functions of online stores and social networking sites. Sites like Etsy -- where folks can set up profiles for their cottage industries and hawk their handmade products -- have seen their traffic consistently increase over recent months, providing hope to businesses with a strong online presence.

Now that we know many of us will be shopping from home and not the sidewalk this year, all we need are some online Salvation Army Santas. Oh, wait. [From: Time.com]

Tags: online shopping, OnlineShopping, web

Comments

1

HuffPost AOL Social News Most Popular