WebProNews

The ability to shop in your underwear, not necessarily get a better deal, is what's driving most people to do 25-50 percent of their holiday shopping online. No malls, no traffic, no crowds, no all-day outings.

And that sounds good to me, too.

That's not justification to raise prices. E-tailers still need to compete with other e-tailers.

According to a recent poll by Nielsen//NetRatings, 81 percent of 1,000 respondents said that the ability to shop any time of day was the reason they chose to shop online. Seventy-seven percent citing saving time as the best reason.

That's a pretty sweeping majority. Ease of comparison shopping was the next best reason, with 61 percent citing that as the best reason to shop online.

Interestingly, a minority (46 percent) cited low prices as their motivating factor. Low-cost shipping was even less of a draw (24 percent).

“Coming into the holiday season, retailers are keenly focused on promotions, which certainly have the ability to move the needle in the short term,” said Ken Cassar, vice president, industry solutions analytics, Nielsen Online.

“In the long run, however, convenience keeps people coming back to the Internet during the holiday season. It’s available whenever consumers are ready to shop, offers a wide selection, and obviates the need to fight the crowds at the mall.”