Online Shopping Continues to Click

Retailers continue to benefit from the ever-increasing ease at which the American consumer now shops online. That comfort contributed to a doubling of 2003 online sales and is expected to help produce a 27% jump this year, according to an industry study.

Online retail spending is forecast to reach $144 billion in 2004, or 6.6% of total sales, according to "The State of Retailing Online," a study compiled by Cambridge, Mass.-based Forrester Research for Shop.org, an association for online retailers. Apparel and health and beauty products are expected to be among the fastest-growing categories in 2004.

"Consumers continue to expand their online buying into new product categories as they become more comfortable shopping online," said Carrie Johnson, a senior analyst at Forrester Research. The annual study surveys 150 retailers. ...