Gloom and Doom! Is it worse online or offline?

[Emma]

Have online businesses been affected by the economic downturn less than offline ones? I'd guess it's yes. What's your experience?

[yourlocaltrades]

Originally Posted by Emma

Have online businesses been affected by the economic downturn less than offline ones? I'd guess it's yes. What's your experience?

I would say so, i think the online businesses are offering alot of things for less, which people are wise too nowadays.
John Lewis site i believe crashed as it had so many people online, something like a 60% increase apparently(soomething like that)

Online i am gtting more hits than ever, offline i have had four re-pointing jobs put on hold.

Everyone is looking for a bargain-those bargains are online!

[Dominic]

Given Amazon just posted a 9% rise in profits I'd say online is doing better than offline....which makes sense when I consider the time/cost required to go to the new shopping area near here (Cabot Cirus, Bristol) - it's fantastic and I love it, but a few hours shopping will cost you £6+ in parking so I can see why people may prefer to shop online.

Perhaps the cold weather was also a contributing factor, too

[INDIZINE]

when the Government plans to have broadband in every home by 2012 or whatever it is, then retailers don't stand much of a chance. Thank god we don't have to order our fish n chips online!

[1clickprint]

"Online sales are reaching new peaks, providing retailers with a welcome counterweight to the economic uncertainty affecting high-street spending.

Marks and Spencer * seen as a bellwether for the sector * saw a 2.2 per cent drop in Christmas sales, but web sales were up 40 per cent. The pattern was mirrored by a number of other big names such as Sainbury's and Domino's Pizza.

Technological advances are a factor in the accelerating growth of online shopping: cheaper, faster broadband and better security is boosting customer confidence, say experts." - taken from news report

most retailers i have talked too recently have noticed a increase in their websales over their outlets. I dont think people have or will stop spending, its in our nature. people seem to look at the internet for the bargains online retailers can offer.

REMEMBER though this isn't just this year and i dont think it has a great deal to do with the recession, the internet as a "shopping mall" so to speak is still in its infancy,we have seen the online side to our business grow year in year out quite naturally without much need to market it ( google excluded ). And i hope to see it grow for many years to come !!!