Although taxable sales in Calcasieu Parish increased about 7 percent over 2016, they dipped in December compared to the year prior along with the rest of the nation, a trend for which online shopping may be to blame.

The Wall Street Journal and other national publications reported a disappointing holiday season for in-store retailers as shopping shifted online. Amazon, the world’s top online retailer, reported its best ever holiday season in 2016, in which it shipped more than 1 billion items worldwide.

Kim Tyree, sales tax director at the Calcasieu Parish School Board, said that each holiday season online shopping takes more business away from local retailers.

“A lot of people are doing online shopping now, and I really think that’s having a factor on our sales — it’s increasing every year,” Tyree said.

“With our lifestyle, it’s just easier for people.”

But the 4 percent dip in December was offset by growth in most of the 11 months of the year, resulting in the 7 percent increase for 2016. The biggest increases were seen in miscellaneous vending and building materials.

The miscellaneous sector — which includes bookstores, music stores, salvage yards, tobacco shops, steel fabricators and itinerate vendors — increased by an impressive 36.5 percent.

Building materials increased by 17.3 percent, a phenomenon Tyree attributes to early indicators of area growth.

“The increase in building materials would definitely connected to all the subdivisions and growth going up,” she said.

Sectors which showed slight decreases in 2016 were furniture, utilities, motor vehicles and gaming.