US Retail E-Commerce: Slower But Still Steady Growth

Although consumers are reacting to the economic downturn by spending less, this will create more of a hardship for retail stores than for e-tailers. A drop in new online buyers- an inevitable sign of the maturation of the online retail channel- will contribute most to the decline of e-commerce sales growth.

The US Retail E-Commerce report charts and analyzes the factors that are contributing to the changing dynamics in online sales.

Consumers are reacting to the economic slowdown by cutting back on discretionary spending. However, store sales will be hit harder than Internet sales because affluent shoppers, who form the core of online buyers, tend to ride out economic downturns better than lower- and middle-income consumers.

Some consumers even plan to increase online spending to save gas money or find bargains.

eMarketer estimates that US retail e-commerce sales (excluding travel) will reach $146 billion in 2008, up 14.3% over 2007. Still, over the next few years sales growth rates will steadily decline.

• How is the economic downturn shaping consumers' online spending plans?
• What is the outlook for online retail sales over the next five years?
• What are the underserved consumer segments holding back e-commerce growth?
• How can Web retailers unlock the spending power of underserved consumers?
• And many others....

The US Retail E-Commerce report aggregates the latest data from marketing and communications researchers with eMarketer analysis to provide the information you need to make smart, accurate business decisions.