Online shoppers becoming a dominant force in retail

More than 5 percent of total retail sales in the fourth quarter of 2011 came from online shoppers, according to a report released by the Department of Commerce.

The Wall Street Journal reports that more than $61 billion of retail transactions occurred online in 2011’s fourth quarter, a 16 percent increase from the same time period in 2010.

Some area businesses, including Curious Books Shop, 307 E. Grand River Ave., have websites that allow you to purchase products online, but it’s unclear how large a portion of sales come from online versus in-store purchase.

The surge in online sales can be attributed to greater comfort among consumers purchasing products through the Internet, according to the article.

City officials said retail trends in East Lansing tend to follow national trends, including that of declining retail sales and closing businesses.

Some businesses tend to do better than others, some close and some flourish, East Lansing Planning and Community Development Director Tim Dempsey said.

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