There is an argument going on about whether smaller merchants will continue to proliferate and grow disproportionately or whether you will see big-name, off-line retailers like Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Home Depot compete more effectively online and take over this medium.

That's a reflection of the maturity of the medium. It's harder to grow at the same rate or higher.

This is the highest level of weekly non-travel spending recorded to date.

Spending patterns last year for the weekend of Dec. 7 when the storm hit were significantly above the average for the holiday season, up 19 percent, ... While it's difficult to predict exactly how consumers will respond this time around, a winter storm certainly does increase the convenience appeal and the likelihood that consumers will shift their spending from offline to online channels.