Year-to-year online sales up 28% while all sales rise 1.4% in mid November

Online retail spending grew 28% in the week ending Nov. 16 from the corresponding week a year ago, reaching $1.246 billion from $976 million a year ago, comScore Networks Inc.’s Media Metrix division reports.

Total retail sales for the week ending Nov. 15 grew 1.4% from the same week a year ago, halting a two-week decline in year-over-year spending, according to ShopperTrak’s National Retail Sales Estimate. ShopperTrak says it expects holiday sales to grow strongly from last year’s levels, based in part on the strength of back-to-school shopping earlier this fall. “Back-to-school sales, which are often a faithful predictor of holiday performance, were quite strong this year,” says Bill Martin, CEO of ShopperTrak. “Additionally, the economy seems to be in much better shape how that it was at this time last year.”

Online travel sales were up 86% for the week ending Nov. 16 to $987 million from $530 million a year ago, comScore reports.