The increase in Online Shopping has taken the United States by storm. Because many Americans have the availability to access the Internet, many users are trying online shopping and relaying their experiences back to their friends and family members. Thus, e-commerce is increasing due to word of mouth. More importantly, however, the usage of interactive features is playing a major role in the increase.

"Among online merchandising tools now in use among retailers, 55% [polled e-tailers] told Forrester Research they had implemented technology to bring richer imagery to their sites, 47% use zoom, and 42% are switching technologies. A total of 41% use buying guides on their site..." (“E-commerce”).

Such features are making online shopping a unique experience. To elaborate, websites are now offering interactive tools to assist shoppers in their purchasing decisions by customizing the virtual shopping environment to their individual preferences. Referred to as interactive decision aids, these tools are predicted to “lead to the transformation of the way in which shoppers search for product information and make purchase decisions”(Haubl). There are two kinds of tools: the first being a recommendation agent (RA), and the second being a comparison matrix (CM). The RA allows consumers to narrow the potentially large set of alternatives for a product by generating a personalized list of product/clothing recommendations based on customer input. The CM allows customers to organize product information in a comparison matrix to help make their decision-making process easier. In a controlled experiment of a simulated store, Gerald Haubl and Valerie Trifts found that both interactive decision aids have a substantial impact on consumers. For example, while the use of the RA reduces consumers’ search efforts for product information, the use of the CM leads to an increase in decisions made from the comparison matrices. Though both aids decrease the amount of products a customer sees, they improve the quality of customers’ purchase decisions (Haubl). By offering interactive tools that aid consumers in decision-making, customers are feeling more confident about their online purchases.

Online shopping's convenient access, wide-spread selection, and available product information, influence consumers to use the Internet for their shopping. In fact, many online shoppers feel that they have more freedom and control in the virtual marketplace as opposed to the physical (Wolfinbarger). In addition, online shoppers do not have sales associates nagging them about promotions or trying to encourage them to buy something that they would never consider buying. Also, when the weather is bad, one can do their shopping in the comfort of their own home. Especially when holiday season comes around, many consumers avoid high-volume shopping areas because of the big crowds and long lines. Instead, many people have started to shop online to avoid the holiday hassle altogether. Presently, with skyrocketing gas prices, consumers are using online services to decrease the use of their gasoline.