Online retail spending grew 119% last year, eMarketer reports

Online retail buying in 2000 totaled $42.1 billion, researchers eMarketer will report next week. That figure includes $12.4 billion in travel spending and $900 million in entertainment tickets. Without those figures, online spending equaled $28.8 billion. The 2000 spending was 117% larger than 1999’s $19.4 billion. In 1999, travel spending equaled $5.95 billion and entertainment tickets, $450 million. Without those categories, 1999’s number was $13 billion. EMarketer’s is the second full-year report on e-retailing to be released so far. Last week, the U.S. Department of Commerce reported that e-retail spending in 2000 equaled $25.8 billion. Excluding automobiles and restaurants/bars, total retail spending in the U.S. in 2000 was $2.25 trillion. By whatever measure, online retail spending now accounts for at least 1% of all retail spending.