Sales Analysis United States

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    US spending hits a high

    RESTON, US: Final pre-Christmas push propels US online holiday season spending through December 26 to record US$30.8 billion - and a blizzard in the northeast provides additional boost to post-Christmas spending.
    US spending hits a high

    comScore reports holiday season retail e-commerce spending for the first 56 days of the November - December 2010 holiday season. For the holiday season-to-date, USUS$30.81 billion has been spent online, marking a 13% increase versus the corresponding days last year. The most recent week (week ending Dec. 26) witnessed USUS$2.45 billion in spending, an increase of 17% versus the corresponding week last year.

    2010 Holiday Season To Date vs. Corresponding Days* in 2009 Non-Travel (Retail) Spending Excludes Auctions and Large Corporate Purchases Total US - Home/Work/University Locations Source: comScore, Inc.
    Millions (USUS$)
    2009 2010 Percent Change
    November 1 - December 26 US$27,368 US$30,810 13%
    Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 25) US$318 US$407 28%
    Black Friday (Nov. 26) US$595 US$648 9%
    Cyber Monday (Nov. 29) US$887 US$1,028 16%
    Green Monday (Dec. 13) US$854 US$954 12%
    Free Shipping Day (Dec. 17) US$586 US$942 61%
    Week Ending Dec. 26 (Dec. 20-26) US$2,098 US$2,450 17%

    *Corresponding days based on corresponding shopping days (November 2 thru December 27, 2009)

    "Online holiday spending has remained strong through Christmas and we've already seen the season totals easily surpass the levels of the past few years to set a new record for spending at almost US$31 billion," said comScore chairman Gian Fulgoni. "For at least this holiday season, the American consumer has been able to shrug off the continuing economic challenges of high unemployment rates and depressed housing prices and spend at a rate that has been slightly stronger than we had expected. After the past few years' struggles, it is gratifying to see e-commerce return to a state that can only be described as a very merry holiday shopping season."

    Top growing retail categories

    Computer hardware ranks as the top growing category for the holiday season to date with a 23% increase versus last year. Purchases of handheld devices (such as Apple iPads and e-readers) and laptop computers have driven much of the category growth. Books & magazines ranks second with 22% growth, followed by consumer electronics (up 21%), Computer software excluding PC games (up 20%) and toys (up 16%). Other categories in the top ten included jewellery & watches (up 11%) and apparel & accessories (up 8%).

    Top Growing Online Retail Product Categories Nov. 1 - Dec. 23, 2010 vs. Corresponding Days* in 2009 Non-Travel (Retail) Spending Excludes Auctions and Large Corporate Purchases Total US - Home/Work/University Locations Source: comScore, Inc.
    Retail Category Percent Change
    Computer Hardware 23%
    Books & Magazines 22%
    Consumer Electronics 21%
    Computer Software (excl. PC Games) 20%
    Toys 16%
    Jewellery & Watches 11%
    Video Games, Consoles & Accessories 9%
    Music, Movies & Videos 9%
    Furniture, Appliances & Equipment 8%
    Apparel & Accessories 8%

    *Corresponding days based on corresponding shopping days (November 2 thru December 24, 2009)

    Weekly online holiday retail sales

    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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