A survey of over 1,000 online U.S.-based shoppers by JDA Software Group Inc. shows that, of 35 percent who opted to buy online and pick up goods in a store in the past year, 50 percent encountered problems getting their purchases. This is a surprisingly high failure rate of a strategy meant to offset the high costs of conducting e-commerce, said Wayne Usie, senior vice president of retail at JDA.

It also suggests that retailers will face a tough time expanding their e-commerce sales while preserving their profit margins. Offering products online may be easy, but getting the goods to consumers can be a burden on the bottom line. Some believe that having customers pick up purchases at the stores can cost less than packing and delivering goods to homes.

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