Frugal shoppers turning to Internet in droves, retailers investing in technology

While the recession took a toll on shopping centers and strip malls across the country, the economic downturn has left the Internet poised to enter 2010 as a larger force in retail. Frugal shoppers are turning to the Internet in droves to compare prices, hunt for bargains, download coupons and seek advice from fellow shoppers. Retailers, weary from years of building sprees, are diverting capital away from storefronts and to Web sites, investing in the technology to make online shopping easier, faster and cheaper. Look no further than Wal-Mart Stores Inc. for a sign that online shopping, historically only 5 percent of U.S. retail sales, is about to get a lot bigger. The world's largest retailer announced late last year plans to unleash its economic might on its decade-old but often neglected Web site, walmart.com, intent on toppling Amazon from its perch as the world's largest online merchant.