Online shopping

But the uncertainty of this holiday season could give small, local businesses an edge if they offer last-minute shopping options.

Online sales are expected to surge this year because of the pandemic. And that means retailers need a lot more boxes.

But overall retail sales in China for the year are still down significantly due to the pandemic.

Customers want their stuff on the same day they buy it. Instacart can make that happen for some smaller retailers.

Holiday shopping is early and mostly online this year, experts say. Avoiding supply-chain delays is part of the reason.

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach handled record amounts of imports in August. Meanwhile, warehouse rents increased by 10% from this time last year.

The thing is, it’s cheaper for retailers when you shop in-store.

Spending continues to grow, but at a slower pace. And some expect it to level off altogether in the coming quarter.

Easy-to-use services that let shoppers pay in installments are growing in popularity. They can make online shopping more affordable, but they can also get consumers into trouble.

Ruling enabling states to collect sales taxes on online purchases turned out to be key.