A new report from Forrester Research indicates that online retail sales will double in the next five years to $329 billion. Travel sites are expected to reap the biggest gains. The sales growth online will come at the expense of offline retail sales.
Part of the growth is expected to be the result of how retailers’ views of the web are changing. Retailers are beginning to view the Internet as a channel to improve customer service and retention instead of merely a low-cost sales channel, according to Forrester.
Another factor that could contribute to online retail sales increases might be high gasoline prices. A recent Shopzilla.com survey found that 40 percent of consumers surveyed have increased their online buying as a result of high fuel prices, with 15 percent saying they are shopping online much more and 25 percent saying somewhat more.
