With gas as expensive as it is these days, shopping online has never looked better. I can stay in the comfort of my own home, select items I’m interested in, and pay a little bit extra (less than a gallon of gas, oftentimes) to have that item shipped to my home. This is especially attractive with websites that offer an affordable flat shipping rate, like Overstock.com and its $2.95 shipping.

So why on earth would some retailers look to “enhance” their online shopping experience by letting customers make selections via the website but then giving them the option of picking the item up at the store?

I noticed this option recently when perusing Wal-Mart’s website for some exercise equipment. I didn’t want to schlep to the mall or a sporting goods store to get what I was interested in. I figured I could find what I was looking for on the web, and not waste any gas in the process. Sure enough, I found the goods on Walmart.com but they were only available through Wal-Mart’s Site to Store program, which is exactly what I’d described above: you make your purchase online and then have to go to the store to get it. Granted, you get free shipping if you choose this, but, again, why would I want to drive when I could stay home? Nordstrom is also debuting a similar program this fall, as this Internet Retailer publication explains.

I don’t know. Maybe the retailers should get a clue when it comes to people and their cars. Haven’t they seen the recent data that shows, for the first time since 1979, Americans are driving less? And this was behavior observed in March, when the average price for a gallon of gas was $3.29. How do retailers think Americans are going to adapt when gas costs more than $4 a gallon nationwide? If they are anything like me, they will be driving a lot less, including to the stores. Instead, I’ll be doing most of my shopping online and letting UPS bring me my goods instead.