Special Reports

Traditional Gift Shopping Vs. Online

December 20, 2000 / 9:23 AM EST / AP

Exhausted after three hours at the mall, Steven Finegan dropped six shopping bags on the floor as his friend dashed off to find a Rugrats clock.

Long lines, traffic jams and overflowing parking lots can be irritating, but like most other Americans this holiday season, Finegan isn't quite ready to trade that annual ritual for the promised comfort and convenience of online shopping.

"It's a little frustrating, but you get in the spirit," said Finegan, a 32-year-old manager from Providence, R.I.

Upon returning, his friend similarly lauded the mall experience.

"Here, you can see what you're shopping for," said Mario Santilli, a 19-year-old student in Cranston, R.I. "On the Internet, you can click and see only a picture. ... You can't really talk to anybody."

As they shopped, popular holiday tunes were piped through the mall's speakers. Oversized ornaments and Christmas lights hung from the ceiling, while Santa Claus posed nearby with children.

The Internet can't offer that kind of atmosphere.

"It wouldn't feel like Christmas if you couldn't see the people, see the lights and know everybody's out here for the same purpose," said Kathleen Hanson, 56, a writer from Mansfield, Mass.

Researchers from the nonprofit Pew Internet and American Life Project found that fewer than 20 percent of Internet users have bought gifts online this year.

Among Internet users rejecting online gift shopping, 85 percent say they like seeing their purchases and 80 percent fear sending credit-card numbers through cyberspace. Nearly half worry about getting items on time, and 41 percent complain that Web sites are too confusing.

Many Americans have used the Internet to look for gifts or to compare prices before buying the items at retail stores. In data compiled for The Associated Press, Pew found about a fifth of past online shoppers have not bought any gifts via the Net this year.

"Lots of people are moaning and groaning about the gift shopping experiences," said the project's director, Lee Rainie. "Yet people are flocking to real-world stores rather than flocking to the Internet."

The survey of 1,409 Internet users from Nov. 20 to Dec. 10 had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. Those who did buy gifts online said they saved time or money.

Though there are indications that online shopping is on the rise this year, e-commerce is still expected to represent no more than 3 percent of all holiday sales.

Heather Dougherty, an analyst at Jupiter Research, expects slow growth. The 40 percent of Internet users now shopping online will rise to 50 percent in 2002 and 60 percent in 2005.

William Berthelette, 39, a furniture deliverer in Mansfield, Mass., tried looking for a coat online, but found it took too much time. His search pulled up only a dozen items at a time, forcing him to continually wait for updates.

"Here, it took me less than 15 minutes to find something I lie," said Berthelette, his newly purchased merchandise tucked under his arm.

Elsewhere, Sally Glass visited an upscale mall in Wichita, Kan., in search of bargains. "It is the thrill of the kill," she said. "Online is for shoppers who have to do it out of necessity."

Kathy Concannon, 39, of Columbia, Mo., said she would rather tow an impatient 5-year-old daughter than shop via the Net.

"I like to touch and feel the merchandise, see whether the sweater fits just right," she said.

Sherman Northern, a 25-year-old landscaper taking a break from shopping in Raleigh, N.C., hates using credit cards, a requirement at many online sites.

"When you shop with cash, the deal is done," he said. "You don't have to worry about it 30 days or a year later."