Online retail spending grew 30% in the first quarter over the first quarter of last year, comScore Networks Inc. reported today. Retail buying online reached $10.1 billion in Q1 up from $7.75 billion in last year’s Q1. The fall-off from Q4 was only 7%, comScore reports.
Travel spending online had even greater growth, up 87% from last year’s first quarter and up 39% from last year’s fourth quarter. It reached $6.97 billion.
Sports and fitness equipment experienced the highest growth over Q1 of last year, with sales reaching $258 million in the quarter, 145% higher than the year earlier and 14% over the fourth quarter. Next highest was home and garden with sales of $458 million, 130% over Q1 2001 and down 2% from Q4 2001.
Here are the categories as reported by comScore (sales in millions and percent growth over Q1 2001):
Computer hardware: $2,394, +44%
Office supplies: $1,691, +35%
Apparel, accessories: $1,288, -1%
Consumer electronics: $744, 34%
Event tickets: $581, 103%
Books: $557, -5%
Home and garden: $458, +130%
Health and beauty: $308, +44%
Sports and fitness: $258, +145%
Computer software: $236, -12%
Total: $10,072, +30%
Notably, comScore reported that online apparel sales were flat vs. last year, while books declined 5%. “Historically these have been major categories online, but they were also early entrants to e-commerce,” said Dan Hess, comScore vice president. “Given their maturity online, it stands to reason that strong growth will be harder to produce in the months and years to come.”
ComScore's sales figures are based on the buying activity of a representative cross-section of more than 1.5 million Internet-using individuals, who have given comScore permission to confidentially monitor their browsing and buying behavior.
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