Online sales grow 22% to record $2.67 billion last week, comScore reports

Online sales for the week ending Dec. 12 reached $2.67 billion, an increase of 22% compared to $2.19 billion during the same week last year, comScore Networks Inc. reports. It is the highest number ever reported by comScore for online weekly sales.

Online sales exceeded $400 million each day between Dec. 6 and Dec. 10, comScore reports. Before this year, online retail sales had crossed the $400 million mark only once before, Dec. 9, 2003.

By contrast, total retail sales for the week ending Dec. 11 fell 1.2% from the corresponding week a year ago, reports ShopperTrak’s National Retail Sales Estimate. “Several surveys suggest that less than 15% of holiday shopping had been completed through this last weekend,” said Michael Niemira, chief economist and director of research for the International Council of Shopping Centers. “It seems consumers have dragged their feet a bit this season which implies that over the next two weeks sales should really boom as consumers catch up after their collective procrastination.”