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Rogue Valley shoppers head online Mail Tribune / Drew Fleming Linda Graham, right, owner of Scheffel�s Toys in Jacksonville, says she�s seen a decrease in walk-in traffic this holiday season but her Internet sales are up 20 percent. It�s a story echoed by other local retailers. At left are customers Lowell Mead, of Michigan, and Oriana Spratt, of Central Point. By Shari Downhill Rogue Valley retailers are finding this season�s holiday shoppers heading to the Internet for a growing number of their purchases. Whether shopping for convenience or researching product options before actually buying, shoppers are capitalizing on the power of the Internet. Customers also know what they want when they walk through the front door, said Circuit City Manager Shawn Davis. "It�s more of a case of showing them where to find what they want than of selling something to them," Davis said. Davis attributes a 22 percent increase in this year�s business over last year to a change in the electronic retailer�s market focus. Circuit City moved away from household appliances in August and now relies more heavily on products targeted at the digitally savvy crowd. "The wave of the future is not going to be brick and mortar stores," Davis said. "It�s going to be on the Internet." Internet big hitters Amazon.com, Ebay.com and BarnesandNoble.com aren�t the only ones with lucrative hits on their Web sites. Jacksonville retailer Scheffel�s Toys has experienced a 20 percent increase in the online portion of its business this year, although walk-in traffic has dropped 20 percent, said store owner Linda Graham. Graham said competition for retail dollars has been stiff. "I would say this year, sales have been down when they�re normally up, and up when they�re normally down," Graham said. "The day after Thanksgiving was the worst (shopping) day in our history. Overall, sales have been sluggish. I think people are sitting at home in front of their computers and aren�t coming to town." For Jacksonville retailers who have worked to develop a more upscale retail experience, a drop in local holiday shoppers has been disappointing. GeBZZ, an art gallery in Jacksonville, has also experienced success on the Internet and a decline in front-door traffic. Gallery co-owner Jean Robertson said the company�s 2-year-old Internet site, artmallofamerica.com, receives about 1,200 visitors a day and accounts for 10 percent of overall business. GeBZZ offers higher-ticket art and craft items and features nationally recognized artists. But Robertson has found local shoppers are looking for bargains this season and are purchasing higher-priced gifts less often. The Internet "certainly helps a lot," Robertson said. "Because the locals are just not buying." Paddington Station, an eclectic Ashland retail shop, just recently reserved a Web site name: e-paddingtonstation. The Web site will be developed after the first of the year, said store owner Don Hammond. For now, Hammond said, business has been good compared to last year. "We still have a couple good shopping days left," he said. Just because computer users are learning to maneuver through an Internet shopping experience doesn�t mean computer retailers are raking in the big bucks. Connecting Point general manager Jeff Thomas said his store�s fourth quarter sales are down compared to last year. Thomas said the downturn is likely due to last year�s massive Y2K computer rush, the instability of a presidential election year and the public belief that the economy is slowing down. "When you think the economy is down, you�re not going to just go out and buy a $2,000 item," he said. Connecting Point�s average ticket items in its computer-related inventory is $1,500. "We�re still selling computers," he said. "But we�re not selling the big rent items. "This year, people are looking for the best price and the best bargain. Last year, they were looking for whatever we had left," he said. Barnes & Noble Booksellers may be hotly promoting their own Web site, but Medford store manager Bruce Budmayer said store foot traffic can always be counted on during the holidays. "I think reading is always going to be something that pretty much stands the test of time," Budmayer said. "For us, it�s been very busy. It�s keeping us on our toes." Customers have been looking for the latest book titles on business and politics. Self-improvement books have also been popular, while the younger set has been opting for Harry Potter adventures. "I think there�s just a lot of great books out there," Budmayer said. "Whether you�re trying to catch up on what�s new or picking up a classic to reread it." Reach reporter Shari Downhill at 776-4463, or e-mail [email protected]. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.