Already a devoted online shopper, 34-year-old office worker Yumiko Tamagawa is finding even more reasons to shop from home thanks to the recession.
For a range of items from T-shirts to books — even beef for a home barbecue party — she checks shopping and auction Web sites for the lowest prices.
"If I go out shopping and try to compare prices at each shop, the transportation costs are too high," she said. "Web sites can show you the lowest prices instantly."
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.