Forrester surveyed online retailers in its annual "The State Of Retailing Online" study in partnership with the National Retail Federation (NRF). Overall retail continues to grow, including online sales, which benefit from investments in eCommerce technologies and website optimization. At the same time, digital marketing remains a thorn in the side of retailers that struggle to acquire new shoppers cost-effectively. Media reports notwithstanding, a majority of retailers surveyed actually ended 2019 with a greater number of stores. Note: The research for "The State Of Retailing Online" was completed in Q4 2019, prior to the COVID-19 crisis.