Macy's Online President Sees Traffic Rising 40

Chicago, IL, June 10--Macy's online business expects its traffic to increase 40% this year, Kent Anderson, president of Macys.com, said. Speaking at the Internet Retailer 2005 conference here, Anderson said the number of visitors this year to Macys.com is expected to be 116 million, compared with 83 million in 2004. The average order value for the site is expected to be $125 this year, up from $119 last year, he said. Macys.com is the Internet Web site for Macy's department stores, which is owned by Federated Department Stores Inc. The site continues to see customer growth in markets where Macy's doesn't have stores, Anderson said. However, the ability to return products that were purchased online to Macy's stores is one reason the site is popular in metropolitan markets where the retailer has stores, he said. The states with the most Macys.com customers are New York, New Jersey, California, Washington, Texas, Florida and Pennsylvania, Anderson said. Anderson credits the site's multiple options as one reason its popularity is increasing. For example, the zoom capability allows customers to enlarge a specific area of interest on a product. Also, size charts on the site have led to a 50% reduction in return rates, Anderson said.