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Recent holiday shopping forecast raises fears that the economic crisis will lower the amount of money consumers spent over the Internet. However, high prices for gas are expected to maintain the growth of e-commerce, though not as much as it was earlier.

Forrester Research, an independent technology and market research firm that gives advices to clients about the influence of technology on business and consumers, announced that the e-commerce spending would register a 12 percent increase compared to 2007. The company's analysts expect that sales in e-commerce would reach $44 billion. Although this number is not that high, experts say that it is more than half as much increase compared to the figures registered last year, when e-commerce spending increased by 20 percent from 2006.

A double-digit growth will certainly impress traditional retailers. It is worth mentioning that e-commerce spending has been registering a quick growth as larger number of people are finding more advantages of shopping without having to kill time in traffic or waiting in line.

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The survey carried out by Forrester Research found that online shopping channel will continue increasing the number of shoppers. However, the economic downturn will certainly affect the amount of money people spend online.

"While e-commerce has traditionally been resistant to negative offline trends, growing concerns about the stability of the economy are finally affecting consumers' online shopping decisions," wrote Sucharita Mulpuru, who works as an analysts at the research company. Forrester's conclusion analysis interlocks with findings from other analysis performed earlier, saying that the continuously increasing prices on gas and food will certainly have an impact on household budgets, thus lowering discretionary income.

Gas prices could have both positive and negative impact on online retailers. If prices for gas are high, they could tighter budgets, but according to the results of the survey, 36 percent of consumers would shop over the Internet more in order to save money on gas. Last year's survey showed that 22 percent would do more online shopping. Additional advantage of e-commerce is that shoppers who enjoy bargaining believe they can find the best deals online. This growing sense could benefit the online retail sector. Forrester's survey showed that 48 percent of consumers consider that they benefit more from online shopping than from offline channel.

According to Patti Freeman Evans, Forrester Vice President, online shopping implies an easy and clear product comparison. She says that the Internet offers a lot more information, which is why more consumers are attracted to online shopping. In one of her statements, Evans said: "Retailers should expand their use of online marketing tactics on search engines and comparison-shopping sites since shoppers are likely to be researching the Web more thoroughly when deciding on this year's holiday gifts." It seems that this holiday season the main attraction for consumers is free shopping.

The representatives of the popular e-commerce company, Amazon, told experts from Forrester that free shipping and competitive prices would be the main keys to help attract more online shoppers, who previously enjoyed shopping from offline retailers. Recent Amazon's earnings came after another e-commerce giant eBay registered disappointing financial result. 

The research company was right saying that 45 percent of consumers, who enjoy online shopping, try to spend less money this holiday season because of their concerns over the economy.