Well over 90 percent of consumer retail purchases happen offline. However clear consumer preferences are emerging by shopping category.

As the chart shows, consumers show a preference for online over stores for books (68% online), consumer electronics (67% online) and office supplies (51% online). But other shopping categories lean local or are local-dominant.

Categories that lean local or are substantially offline include: sporting goods (56% local) and luxury items (65% local), pet supplies (66% local), tools (67% local), household goods (71% local), apparel (76% local), consumer packaged goods (77% local) and grocery (92% local).

While more commerce will eventually move online (and to mobile), the larger pattern is one where stark divisions between online and offline shopping are starting to disappear and becoming more “situational.”