Our generation is living in a digital world. Almost anything and everything can be done on the internet. Online shopping is one of the newest sensations to affect our economy. According to author Jamie Jefferson:
"Online sales are expected to hit $211 billion this year. That is a rise of 20 percent over last year and comes just three years after the industry hit the $100 billion milestone, according to the 2006 State of Retailing Online report from Shop.org and Forrester Research."
There are many benefits o shopping over the internet. One of the main attractions is the tax break on items. In 1992 the Supreme Court ruled that online sellers without a presence in the state do not have to collect sales tax. For people who shop often this saves them a lot of money. Not only do consumers save money from not paying taxes but items are usually cheaper online. Many stores promote online shopping by lowering their prices via the internet. Shopping online also saves consumers a lot of time. It can be done at home and it’s easier to find your item on a web page. Businesses are becoming more concerned with their website presentation and navigation. Bob Tedeschi, journalist from the New York Times states,
"Poorly designed sites could turn the experience into one of hair-tugging frustration that was just as slow as a trip to the local store."
Convenience is one thing we love in America. Online shopping provides the convenience of being at home, anytime shopping. In the virtual shopping world retail stores are open 24 hours a day, which is unlike local stores that mostly close at 10:00pm.