Benchmark Survey of Online Retailers

Online Commerce in 2009: The Game Has Changed - Have Online Retailers?

By Nikki Baird, Steve Rowen, Managing Partners Retail Systems Research

In a dismal economic year, the online channel presents the brightest spot of hope for many online retailers. While traditional sales are barely breathing, online retail remains the only growing sector of retail for some verticals, and interest in the mobile channel - for both online retailers and consumers - is unabated.

Consumers have accelerated their online shopping habits, and the timeline for mobile shopping adoption has taken a huge turn with the overwhelming consumer acceptance of the iPhone and the subsequent introduction of competing smart phones and app stores. For retailers, this has meant a broad adjustment in the definition of what "online commerce" really means.

This Benchmark Survey shows how retailers are responding to these trends, and how it is impacting their technology investment priorities. Also learn the practices that the best retailers, large and small, use to get the most out of the only channel where progress continues.