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New York, New York - (Cheap Web Hosting Directory) - May 25, 2007 - According to a new e-Marketer report, US retail e-commerce sales are maturing, expected to reach $243.5 Billion by 2011. It is anticipated that for the first time, e-commerce sales growth will drop below 20% next year.

The report goes on to surmise that more than ever, consumers are using the web as a product research tool, regardless of whether a purchase takes place on a web site or in a store. Apparel, home furnishings and major appliances are heavily researched online, although the majority of the sales are made offline.

”US Retail E-Commerce: Entering the Multi-Channel Era,” states retailers who effectively build bridges between their stores and web sites stand to be the big winners in the research-online/buy-in-store era. This maturing Internet sales channel, coupled with an anticipated slowdown in the US economy, is expected to produce lower year-over-year e-commerce sales gains. Rising consumer debt, high fuel prices and a cooling housing market are expected to dampen total retail spending this year. eMarketer expects online retail sales to grow 21% to $131 billion this year. Over the next four years, sales will increase at a 17% compound annual growth rate.

Increased spending by existing online buyers, rather than new buyers coming online, is now the main driver of retail e-commerce sales growth. This year, 117 million people, or two-thirds of Internet users, will make at least one purchase online, with the average buyer spending $1,123. A maturing e-commerce channel means retailers must make the most of the customers they already have — that is, convert more shoppers into buyers.

Jeffrey Grau, Senior Analyst and author of the report remarked, ”Not long ago, an expanding online e-commerce channel meant all online retailers benefited. But for online retailers to grow today, they must take customers away from competitors, motivate them to spend more and try to retain their loyalty.”

Also included in the report::

— What product categories are most likely to drive online retail growth?
– Which online and offline sources have the greatest influence on the consumer decision-making process?
– How do consumers shop across channels and what are the biggest challenges facing multi-channel retailers?

eMarketer is a market research information firm that covers the Internet, e-business, online marketing and emerging technologies. eMarketer aggregates and analyzes e-business research from over 2,800 sources, and brings it together in analyst reports, daily research articles and the ”eStat Database” — the most comprehensive database of e-business and online marketing statistics in the world.

To learn more, please visit: www.emarketer.com.

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