E-commerce ramps up

By MARIA HALKIAS
Staff Writer mhalkias@dallasnews.com

ECONOMIC SNAPSHOT | ONLINE SHOPPING

By TROY OXFORD
Staff Artist toxford@dallasnews.com

For the rst time in 15 years, the Internet is the top holiday shopping destination, according to Deloittes annual survey. Nearly half of consumers said they plan to purchase items online, followed by 44 percent at discount/value stores, like Wal-Mart and Target. But much of that online spending will be with those same brick-and-mortar chains. After No. 1 Amazon.com, the top 20 online retailers include Staples, Apple, Wal-Mart, Sears, Ofce Depot, Best Buy, Ofce Max, Macys, Costco, Target and Gap. Shop local
Internet Retailers annual list of Top 500 business-toconsumer retailers includes 22 Texas companies. Here are the top 10 e-commerce companies in Texas based on online sales:
Company Dell Inc. J.C. Penney Co. Neiman Marcus Group GameStop Corp. Army & Air Force Exchange Service Zale Corp. Fossil Inc. Blinds.com Golfsmith International Cheaper Than Dirt Headquarters Austin Plano Dallas Grapevine Dallas Irving Richardson Houston Austin Fort Worth 2012 online sales $4.8 billion $1.02 billion $878.7 million $599 million $234.4 million $100 million $99.2 million $90 million $85.3 million $63.6 million
0% -5% -10%

Online shopping gains

U.S. e-commerce sales growth rates remain strong. The government will report the third quarter on Nov. 16. PERCENTAGE CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR
25% 20% 15% 10% 5%

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

13

The marketplace evolves

Habits are changing fast. Shoppers are leading retailers down new paths.

Amazon.coms the one to beat

Both Amazon.com and Walmart.com just opened fulfillment centers in North Texas. Wal-Mart has stepped up its efforts to battle with Amazon. AMAZONS TOTAL SALES
$70 billion $60 $50

35% 24% 19% 54% 38%

The bottom line

of smartphone owners used the device to nd a store.

2012 total sales: $61.1 billion

used it to nd coupons. used it to look up product availability. of Target shoppers used at least one mobile app while shopping in the store. of Wal-Mart shoppers did the same.

$40 $30 $20 $10 0 2008 2009 2010

International

North America

2011

2012

SOURCES: Deloitte; Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide; Forrester Research; comScore Inc.; The Partnering Group; Parks Associates; Shop.org

The holiday season is when most online retailers get most of their new customers. People who never shopped online decide its a good time to start and if theyre veteran online shoppers they tend to shift more of it online during the holiday. We expect it to be another strong year when online continues to steal sales from stores.

Mobile, online and in stores are not necessarily different spheres anymore. Smartphones are bridging those worlds for shoppers. Retailers shouldnt be afraid to use mobile tools to make shopping more competitive and convenient. It serves the retailer by making customers more loyal. With mobile in the mix, retailers have more insight.

Anyone trying to reach consumers has a challenge keeping up. ComScore just published a new white paper that shows weve recently reached an new milestone in the U.S. Over the summer, we became a multiplatform majority: 54 percent of people accessing the Internet now do so from both computers and mobile devices.

Sucharita Mulpuru, senior analyst, Forrester Research

Jennifer Kent, senior analyst, Parks Associates

Maria Halkias, staff writer, The Dallas Morning News