ONLINE SHOPPING A THREAT TO RETAILERS?

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 5 (Antara) - Online trading system or e-commerce is growing rapidly in recent years as it offers a special service for consumers to shop or order goods through online media.         But how far online business affects retail business still needs further study. Head of National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Bambang Brodjonegoro has expressed the need to officially register online trading transactions.         Data on online trading transactions is needed to know their impact on the economic growth, especially at a time when the retail business sector is facing a gloomy condition amid efforts to improve the macroeconomic indicators.         There are mixed views that the growth of online shopping is posing a threat to the retail business, but some say it would not have a serious impact on retailers as long as the latter continue to make innovations.          According to macroeconomist Dr James Adam of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the online trading transactions, which are gaining a popular trend in recent days, is threatening workers at retailer businesses, which are still relying on the conventional shopping system.