Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Why Online Sales Aren't Actually Booming

Dora Mekouar

   If you think online sales are poised to take over in-store purchases
   anytime soon, think again.

   Although the retail landscape in the United States can look dire --
   with many malls and individual retailers closing up shop -- the reality
   is that just 11% of all retail sales occur online. A full 89% of all
   retail purchases happen the traditional way, by walking into a store,
   according to the [1]U.S. Department of Commerce.

   When you factor out goods that aren't usually bought online, such as
   gas, vehicles and restaurant food, virtual purchases account for 14.3%
   of total retail sales. Over the last decade, there's been just under 1%
   annual growth in online retailing versus conventional retailing.

References

   1. https://www.census.gov/retail/mrts/www/data/pdf/ec_current.pdf

.