Today, online shopping is more popular than ever, but did you know that it is more popular in some areas than others? It’s true! And for some people, online shopping is their preferred method – who wants to deal with the crowds at the mall, parking, and other hassles like mallrats? Let’s find out if you’ve moved to a city where online shopping is a leading preference, below we’ve included a list of the top ten cities in the U.S. for online shopping.
Over the last couple of years, America’s online shopping has increased by almost 13%. In the next few years, that number is expected to climb further still. Experts suggest that by 2015, that percentage could actually double. And there have been studies done, people! Forrester Research has completed the most recent study on online shopping trends in America.
Forrester Research’s recent study took a look at the 65 largest cities in the United States and determined which of them had the most online shopping through the top online retailers which include Amazon, Overstock, Sears, Best Buy, Walmart, Netflix, Apple, Sony Store, and Target. Other factors examined in the survey included the city’s sales tax rate, Internet access, and the proximity of major distribution centers.
Let’s see if the study has identified the city you live in, or are about to move to, as one of the biggest online spenders. Here they are listed as the top ten:
- Orlando, Florida – 1.9 times the national average
- Minneapolis, Minnesota – 1.92 times the national average
- St. Paul, Minnesota – 2 times the national average
- Washington, DC – 2.14 times the national average
- Austin, Texas – 2.15 times the national average
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – 2.4 times the national average
- St. Louis, Missouri – 2.56 times the national average
- San Francisco, California – 2.64 times the national average
- Manhattan, New York – 3.5 times the national average
- Miami, Florida – 5.6 times the national average
We were surprised that New York City wasn’t the top online shopper in the United States. With the number of people that move to the city each year, it seemed to be a no-brainer. Guess we were wrong!
The study broke down the information and showed that Miami actually has about 19 major distribution centers for these online retailers. With so many distribution centers, shipping is probably a snap, so in reality this makes sense. New York City only had 13 centers nearby.
So, if you love to shop online and want super-fast shipping and delivery with a good amount if Internet access, you might as well pack it up and move to one of those 10 cities we’ve listed! Just kidding – online shopping is no good reason to relocate. As long as you have an Internet connection and a credit card (with the ability to pay), you can shop from home no matter what city you live in.
Lance Grooms
