WASHINGTON: US online retail sales are expected to grow to $294bn this year, with nearly one-third of the total from mobile devices, a research firm said yesterday.
Forrester Research said it sees online sales growing at a pace of 9.5 percent from 2013 to 2018, which would bring total online sales to $414bn, or 11 percent of all retail sales. This year, mobile commerce — sales on phones or tablets — are likely to hit $87bn, according to Forrester. “The Web keeps doing what it has always done well: it provides huge assortments of products, at comparable, often lower, prices than physical stores, with 24/7 access and often free shipping,” said research analyst Sucharita Mulpuru.
Mulpuru said the figures include 30 retail categories, “and that doesn’t even include another $28bn in additional mobile transactions on sites and apps like Uber and Domino’s Pizza.” AFP
