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Web sales beat forecasts Online merchants experienced larger-than-expected sales
growth during the 1st Quarter, according to BizRate.com, a web research
firm and comparison shopping site. BizRate.com estimates that U.S. online sales during 1st
Quarter 2002 totaled $11.6 billion, an increase of 41 percent over 1st
Quarter 2001. Those figures don’t include travel (airline tickets,
car rentals, etc.), one of the largest online purchase categories. As a result of this strong showing, BizRate.com is now
projecting a 44-percent increase in online sales this year, compared with
a 24-percent increase in 2001. The company expects consumers to spend
more than $51 billion on the Internet in 2002. Still, Internet sales account for only about 1.5 percent of total retail sales. The following stores have opened up shop in the Mall of
Michigan (www.mallofmichigan.com), MRA’s e-commerce website featuring
unique Michigan specialty stores: ReaganBridgeen, Grand Rapids MRA members selling online can be listed for free on the Mall of Michigan retailing and shopping site. To take advantage of this opportunity to increase exposure for your website, contact Pat Kerwin at 800.366.3699 or pdkerwin@retailers.com. |
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Name: Chuck Lippert Business: Mobile Office Outfitter, Grand Rapids Web address: www.mobilegear.com Products: Desks, organizers and computer stands
for use in vehicles. “Because these products are so unique, we couldn’t
just sell in Michigan,” said Sales Manager Kevin Bart. “The
Internet is a quick way to reach a national audience.” Years on web: Purchased and redesigned mobilegear
site last year; a wholesale website (www.gooffice.com) has been online
since 1995. Website designed by: Professional Internet Management
in Grand Rapids Percent of sales from web: About half of retail
sales (10 percent of total) Growth in web sales: “As of April, we had
already surpassed our sales forecast for the entire year.” Main methods of promoting site: Listings in search
engines and on catalogs.com; print ads in magazines targeting core customers
(such as on-the-road salespeople and insurance adjusters); e-mail newsletters
to customer database. Advantage of web retailing: “It’s a great
way to test a product out. It’s easy to put it up, see how it sells
and take it off if there’s no activity.” Web retailing tip: Have patience - it takes time
to build up sales. “There’s a lot of research going on. People
go there and look around for ideas and eventually come back and buy something.” Future plans: “There are so many different
applications. We’re just touching the surface for how we can use
this and grow our business.” Comments: “If you’re not online, you’re missing business. I don’t know of any business that can say, ‘We don’t need to be on the Internet.’” |
