Internet Ties Discount Stores as Top Holiday Shopping Destination

For the first time, the web has tied discount stores as the most popular place to pick up holiday gifts, according to the results of an annual survey of more than 5,000 consumers released last week by Deloitte. According to the survey, 48 percent of consumers say they will most likely shop for gifts online—a 13 percent increase from last year.

Among those surveyed, 48 percent named competitive prices as the top reason to shop on the web, while 20 percent named free shipping as the top incentive. Nearly half of consumers, at 44 percent, say they plan to use social media sites while shopping online, to find discounts, read reviews and research gift ideas.