Which cities spend the most online?

Online shopping has become a way of life for many US consumers, yet cyber-spending is much more popular in some areas than others. Is your city in the Top 10?

By MSN Money Partner Jul 12, 2011 3:41PM

By Bundle.com

 

Shopping online (© Comstock/SuperStock/SuperStock)For many people, shopping online has become as ubiquitous as shopping at the mall -- minus the part where you have to search for parking, climb escalators and dodge mallrats.

 

According to Forrester Research, U.S. Web sales increased by 12.6% in 2010 compared with 2009. And with more people adapting to technology and accessing the Web, Forrester says the number is likely to soar by 2015.

 

And so we bring you the top 10 online shopping cities in the U.S. We analyzed data for the 65 biggest cities in the U.S. and figured which was spending the most and ordering the most often from these top online retailers: Amazon.com, Overstock.com, Sears.com,Walmart.com, BestBuy.com, Apple.com, Netflix.com, Target.com and SonyStore.com.

 

We also looked at which cities were the most likely to have quick shipping times based on their proximity to major distribution centers, at cities' sales tax rates and at the cities where residents had the most access to the Internet.

 

Here are the top 10 online shopping cities (to see the list that ranks 65 cities, see the full article here):

 

10. Orlando, Fla.

  • Residents shopping online: 1.9 times the national average
  • Transactions: 1.92 times the national average
  • Percentage of residents who access the Internet: 55% (average is 49%)
  • Sales tax rate: 6%
  • Number of major distribution centers from top online retailers, including Amazon.com: 19

 

9. Minneapolis

  • Residents shopping online: 1.92 times the national average
  • Transactions: 2.2 times the national average
  • Percentage of residents who access the Internet: 51%
  • Sales tax rate: 6.88%
  • Number of major distribution centers from top online retailers, including Amazon.com: 5

 

8. St. Paul, Minn.

  • Residents shopping online: 2 times the national average
  • Transactions: 2.16 times the national average
  • Percentage of residents who access the Internet: 51%
  • Sales tax rate: 6.88%
  • Number of major distribution centers from top online retailers, including Amazon.com: 5

Click here for a larger version of this infographic.

 

7. Washington D.C.

  • Residents shopping online: 2.14 times the national average
  • Transactions: 2.3 times the national average
  • Percentage of residents who access the Internet: 58%
  • Sales tax rate: 6%
  • Number of major distribution centers from top online retailers, including Amazon.com: 0

 

6. Austin, Texas

  • Residents shopping online: 2.15 times the national average
  • Transactions: 2.2 times the national average
  • Percentage of residents who access the Internet: 58
  • Sales tax rate: 6.25%
  • Number of major distribution centers from top online retailers, including Amazon.com: 27

Article continues after video.

 

5. Pittsburgh

  • Residents shopping online: 2.4 times the national average
  • Transactions: 2.4 times the national average
  • Percentage of residents who access the Internet: 44%
  • Sales tax rate: 6%
  • Number of major distribution centers from top online retailers, including Amazon.com: 19

 

4. St. Louis

  • Residents shopping online: 2.56 times the national average
  • Transactions: 2.63 times the national average
  • Percentage of residents who access the Internet: 46%
  • Sales tax rate: 4.23%
  • Number of major distribution centers from top online retailers, including Amazon.com: 7

 

3. San Francisco

  • Residents shopping online: 2.64 times the national average
  • Transactions: 2.67 times the national average
  • Percentage of residents who access the Internet: 62%
  • Sales tax rate: 8.25%*
  • Number of major distribution centers from top online retailers, including Amazon.com: 29

* Sales tax rate from 2010. The California rate dropped by 1% in July 2011

 

 

2. Manhattan, N.Y.

  • Residents shopping online: 3.5 times the national average
  • Transactions: 3.67 times the national average
  • Percentage of residents who access the Internet: 55%
  • Sales tax rate: 4%
  • Number of major distribution centers from top online retailers, including Amazon.com: 13

 

1. Miami

  • Residents shopping online: 5.6 times the national average
  • Transactions: 5 times the national average
  • Percentage of residents who access the Internet: 55%
  • Sales tax rate: 6%
  • Number of major distribution centers from top online retailers, including Amazon.com: 19

More from MSN Money and Bundle.com:

 

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16Comments
LPCNYC
Jul 13, 2011 3:39AM
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Sales tax in NYC is 8.625%. Who told you 4%? I've only been living here 32 years, and have never seen a 4% sales tax. It used to be 8.25%, but went up a couple years ago.
Livana007
Jul 13, 2011 9:03AM
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Makes perfect sense Miami would be #1. I live there and believe me, no one wants to leave their house. Traffic stinks and the people are super rude. Online shopping is very friendlty by comparison.
Miami_Resident
Jul 13, 2011 9:49AM
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Contrary to people's believe, Miami is not longer a NYC, NJ, & Canadas' snowbird nest. Demographics here changed a lot in the last decade. Most of the population is now a mix of young adults and wealthy Latin families who are very technology savvy. This city is way too rough for the older crowd and they relocated up north to the West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, North Fort Lauderdale area.
On top of the really busy online shopping, the activity at the shopping malls is also very intensive in Miami. Unfortunately, like Livana007 said, most of the locals are very rude, traffic sucks and parking is crazy in some areas.

Someone (Mrs. Rumpole)
Jul 13, 2011 12:25PM
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Yes, I live in Miami and it's true.  Unless you drive to a mall in another county, it's impossible to park.  I've driven around and round looking for parking, finally giving up and going home to shop online.  At Dadeland Mall, I have parked more than a quarter mile from the nearest store having to walk across melting blacktop in 100 degree plus heat with high humidity in the blazing sun.  To spend money?  You have to be kidding me!  Stay home and shop online, I say!
lakeside barbeques
Jul 13, 2011 7:49AM
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Who cares?  Seriously, aren't there more interesting topics to write about?  Eye-rolling
MCN7736
Jul 13, 2011 12:32PM
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I think if you could track the percentage of people in rural areas, it would far outweigh the numbers in cities. Out here, we don't have access to malls or even stores! Unless we want to spend an extra $50-$75 on a tank of gas to get to the mall and back, not to mention the extra 4 hours of driving time to get there and back (or more)... online shopping is just a much more convenient option for us!
Jetro Bodine
Jul 13, 2011 7:54AM
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I am a Pittsburgher born and raised, This is a very good article and it is soo true of people in Pittsburgh shopping online. I grew up in an area that I feel is the shopping capital of the city McKnight Rd, some locals call it McKnightmare Rd because of all the traffic from the 3 malls that it occupies. Pittsburgers LOVE to shop, I guess it is in our blood, I am guilty of shopping online as I spend over 8 hrs a day in front of a computer at work and when I am not busy or I am on my lunch Hr, I shop trying to find the best deals around. It's soo easy to whip out that credit card when you find what you are looking for and it shows up at your doorstep within a week.  

wwgirl842
Jul 13, 2011 12:40PM
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Here in our small town of 34,000, we don't have access to very much in the way of shopping.  We generally have to drive 60 miles to get to a decent mall.  So speaking for myself, I do quite a bit of shopping online.  I agree with MCN7736 that the smaller towns are likely to be the ones who do the most online shopping.
September the 11
Jul 13, 2011 12:40PM
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Local sales tax here: 9.1 (5.6% state, 3.5% city, matched by county, so there are no breaks for driving some).  Suppose UPS and FedEx should be showing up at my door more often!
RiverTim
Jul 13, 2011 7:44AM
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No Portland or Seattle????...booooo​ooooogus...

 

ain't buyin' it.

far kohistani
Jul 13, 2011 12:20PM
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so what is the highest spending city?
shop4me123
Jul 13, 2011 8:42AM
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What happened to Michigan? Everyone I know shops online! They needed to include some great sites such as  QVC . I buy a lot of my clothing on QVC and a lot of jewelry and  things on  other sites. Bet if they rewrote the article and added other sites, we would be in the top twenty at least! I tried to mention some other sites but I was blocked.
Peaches Piezz (singleladylfun)
Jul 13, 2011 8:15AM
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Shoppers in Miami, which was named the busiest online shoppers are predominantly snowbirds from NYC , NJ and Canada. The mall shopping in these areas are incredible and im sure shoppers are probably looking for a better or competetive price. Also alot of seniors cant manever the malls. So online is probably good for them.. instead of writing about whose shopping the most. give me a loaded credit card so i can do it!
Exsted52MC
Jul 13, 2011 10:10AM
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You have to consider the demographics. I live in Minneapolis and it's not suprising that both Mpls and St. Paul are on this list. We have a short period of summer then we're back into the winter months (we didn't have a spring this year, so I'm just going to assume that snow will hit in Sept). With the weather that cold no one cares that much to do anything outdoors nowdays. If I had the chance to live and work in Miami I would be outside daily, just as I do when it's summer up here in MN. I'm going to just say that the people are just plain lazy down south and take the weather for granted.

Martha E. Salas
Jul 13, 2011 10:37AM
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San Francisco 8.25% sales tax?  have got to be kiddin'!!  but I guess with those Democats, running the show it should not surprise me, right?
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