I auction 30 to 40 books a month. Keyport resident Miguel Bracero used the Internet to buy a new van. Usually when you go to a dealer, they are on your tail, wanting to know how much you want to spend. Bracero and his wife, Teresa, checked out the van at dealerships to look at different colors and then went online to check prices. Bracero figures he got a 6 percent savings by going online.
People just like to touch and feel the products.
And online shopping has a way to go before it puts a dent into traditional retailing. Only 1.4 percent of all retail sales were made online last year, according to a study by the Boston Consulting Group. This year, the number is expected to grow to 2.4 percent. Still, it s enough to grab retailers attention. For one thing, last year s 1.4 percent amounted to billions of dollars, said Anita Bathija, co-author of the report.