Will the economic downturn drive an increase in online sales?

I started writing this thinking, “yeah, sure - uplifting news to follow. Not so much - looking at the November 2008 Monthly Retail Sales Comparison, I expected to see a clear uptick. I then headed over to emarketer.com and I was greeted with “2008 was not a good year for e-commerce.”

Granted we are looking at a 10% increase over 2007, but overall we are looking at a growth rate decline of about 20%.

I mean, all the earmarks are there for an upturn. At no time in history have consumers had more access to more choices in terms of product and price.

With e-commerce sites becoming easier and easier to search, browse and checkout one would expect to see that upturn in online sales.

The unfortunate news is, it has not happened. In 2007 we saw a 20% increase over 2006. This year we are seeing just a 10% increase over 2007. And we know the stakes are high for many of these retailers who are teetering on bankruptcy.

Happy New Year?

Tweet This

• Bookmark :
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Stumbleupon
• Redit it