Forrester says U.S. Online Retail Sales To Rise To $370bn By 2017 (10% CAGR) As Ecommerce Motors On With Help From Tablets & Phones

• Forrester is projecting online retail sales will reach $370 billion by 2017, up from $231 billion in 2013 — a 10% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the next five years.
• In the U.S. Forrester notes that online retail will continue to outpace the growth of physical retail stores — something the category has done since its inception, so no change there.
• The analyst notes two “notable changes” have helped prop up ecommerce growth in recent years: firstly the rise of smartphones and tablets, which it says are boosting the amount of time consumers spend online and generating more buying opportunities.
• Forrester notes that traditional retailers have invested heavily in their web divisions — including by offering hybrid online/offline capabilities such as in-store pickup for online purchases — which it says is also helping to grow ecommerce.