Americans spend a lot of money online, especially during the holiday season. Experts estimate that online shoppers will spend a record $240 billion on gifts and other items in November and December this year.
Many people like the ease of online shopping, which takes just a few clicks on a computer or smartphone. Items ordered from sites like Amazon can arrive within a day or two—or even on the same day. Since packages come to their doorstep, shoppers can avoid crowded stores. They also don’t have to worry about stores being closed when they want to shop.
But some people say online shopping can be bad for the environment. Shipping online orders requires boxes and other packaging, which adds to waste. And studies show that items bought online are five times more likely to be returned than items bought in stores. More returns means more fuel is being used for transportation. Also, the growth of online shopping is a big reason many stores have shut down. From 2020 to 2023, more than 24,000 stores closed in the U.S.