Online retail spending increased 17% in the first quarter of this year according to a recent Wall Street Journal article. East Bridge has seen a large increase in the number of online retailers contacting us looking for finance programs for their products or services. Putting together financing programs for online retailers brings new challenges to lending institutions. Online retailers typically have smaller margins than that of brick-and-mortar stores so it is more difficult for them to absorb the costs associated when offering programs to customers. In addition, because there is no face to face interaction with customers, lenders and retailers have to take extra steps to make the transaction simple and easy as well as preventing fraud. East Bridge is working with a number of lending sources on new programs for jewelry financing, furniture, and specialty products.