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    US online holiday spending approaches US$27bn

    RESTON, US: comScore, a leader in measuring the digital world, has reported holiday season retail e-commerce spending for the first 37 days of the November-December 2012 holiday season. For the holiday season-to-date US$26.6bn has been spent online, marking a 13% increase versus the corresponding days last year.
    US online holiday spending approaches US$27bn

    The most recent week saw three individual days eclipse US$1bn in spending - Monday, Dec. 3 (US$1.117bn), Tuesday, Dec. 4 (US$1.362bn) and Wednesday, Dec. 5 (US$1.051bn) - bringing the total number of billion dollar spending days for the season to seven.

    2012 Holiday Season To Date vs. Corresponding Days* in 2011 Non-Travel (Retail) Spending Excludes Auctions and Large Corporate Purchases Total US - Home & Work Locations (Source: comScore, Inc)
    Millions (US$)
    2011 2012 Percent Change
    November 1-December 7 US$23,716 US$26,816 13%
    Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 22) US$479 US$633 32%
    Black Friday (Nov. 23) US$816 US$1,042 28%
    Thanksgiving Weekend (Nov. 24-25) US$1,031 US$1,187 15%
    Cyber Monday (Nov. 26) US$1,251 US$1,465 17%
    Most Recent Week (Dec. 1-Dec. 7) US$5,925 US$6,441 9%

    *Corresponding days based on corresponding shopping days (November 3 thru December 9, 2011)

    "Despite posting three consecutive billion-dollar spending days and five in excess of US$950 million, this past week saw a noticeable softening in e-commerce momentum as growth rates dipped into single-digits after beginning the season in the mid-teens," said comScore chairman Gian Fulgoni. "However, we expect this lull to be a temporary effect having more to do with the extended shopping calendar this year with two additional shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, rather than weakening consumer fundamentals. This upcoming week led by Green Monday is likely to be the heaviest online spending week in history with a realistic chance of delivering five billion-dollar days."

    Green Monday remains important day, but eclipsed by Cyber Monday in recent years

    Green Monday (Monday, December 10, 2012) this year is likely to be one of the heaviest online spending days of the season and a headliner for what is expected to the busiest online spending week on record. While Green Monday has seen online spending levels double over the past six years to more than US$1.1bn last year, the day has actually become slightly less important to the season overall. Once the heaviest day of the online shopping season, Green Monday has not assumed the top position since 2007.

    Cyber Monday and Green Monday Spending and Rank by Year 2005-2011 Non-Travel (Retail) Spending Excludes Auctions and Large Corporate Purchases Total US - Home & Work Locations (Source: comScore, Inc)
    Year Cyber Monday Green Monday
    Spending (US$ Millions) Spending Day Rank Spending (US$ Millions) Spending Day Rank
    2005 US$484 8 US$556 1
    2006 US$608 12 US$661 2
    2007 US$733 9 US$881 1
    2008 US$846 3 US$859 2
    2009 US$887 2 US$854 5
    2010 US$1,028 1 US$954 2
    2011 US$1,251 1 US$1,133 3

    "Green Monday got its moniker several years ago because of the widely held misconception at the time that Cyber Monday was the heaviest online shopping day of the season, when in reality it was lucky to crack the top ten. Green Monday came to refer to that Monday near mid-December when online spending actually tended to peak as consumers hurried to finish their online shopping in time for shipments to arrive before Christmas," added Fulgoni. "While we still see that steady build in spending continuing into mid-December, Cyber Monday's intense promotional activity has vaulted it into the top spot in recent years while Green Monday has had to settle for a spot in the top three. Still, it should be a very active online shopping day that will post a strong total when all is said and done."

    Source: comScore

    comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world and the preferred source of digital marketing intelligence.

    Go to: http://www.comscore.com
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