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kuhfes

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The data is correct (for 2007), but misleading. It represents the % of online sales for companies that have retail stores.

The categories exclude sales from nonstore retailers. So for Hobbies (includes books), the percentage of retails stores revenue that sold online was 1.9%, however online retailers accounted for 20% of total book sales (in 2007)

The source of the data: http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2010/tables/10s1021.p...

As of 4th Q 2009, 4.3% of retail sales are online: http://www.census.gov/retail/mrts/www/data/html/09Q4.html

Forrester predicts online sales will account 6% of total US retail sales in 2009 and 2010, 7% in 2011 and 8% in 2012 and 2013. http://www.dmnews.com/e-commerce-is-flat-as-a-percentage-of-...

In 2007 20% of book purchases online http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/407236-Chains_Intern...

The graphs represent completely different data and it is easy to misinterpret. Neither graph represents total percentage of online sales to Brick & Mortar stores accurately.

From the comments on Permuto site: "The graph above is more descriptive of how e-commerce is replacing mail order catalogs for non-store purchases."

Source of data is probably: Table 1022: Electronics Shopping and Mail-Order Houses–Total and E-Commerce Sales. "Represents NAICS code 454110, which comprises establishments primarily engaged in retailing all types of merchandise using non store means, such as catalogs, toll free telephone numbers, or electronic media, such as interactive television or computer. ”

I made a list of requirements and compared the best Live chat SaaS sites here: http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0ApeWkxPGlfpNdHQ3VmlH... (it's editable, so feel free to improve)

I looked at these sites: Olark, Live Person, OggChat, LiveZilla, IMified.

For these features:

multiple operator support route based on skill / rating direct to specific agent show status of specific agent transfer agents w/ history agent initiated chat mobile client sms send/receive save transcript to database save length of chat to database user rate agent feedback user interface (1-5) white label API (create agent,save chat) Agent client type price (1 agent) price (10 agents)

Basically, I'm looking for a subset of the functionality on the liveperson.com site. The Live Person software is too expensive.

LiveZilla seems to be the closest and is free. IMified (SaaS IM API) would require coding, but is flexible and supports SMS.