Holiday web2store shopping rises 43%, CrossMedia reports

The number of holiday season shoppers who browsed its client retailers’ web sites before purchasing in stores rose 43% this year over the 2003 holiday season, to 14.7 million from 10.3 million, CrossMedia Services Inc. reports.

CrossMedia based its report on data compiled from 14 retailers, including Target, Sears, Home Depot, Office Depot and Best Buy, that publicize store promotions through CrossMedia’s shopping portal ShopLocal.com.

From the Saturday before Thanksgiving through Dec. 24 of this year, 14.7 million shoppers looked online for store specials offered by the 14 retailers, compared to 10.3 million web2store shoppers in the comparable period last year. (CrossMedia notes that part of the increase was due to the extended shopping season this year, with 35 days, compared to 33 days last year.)

The busiest day in online activity this year for CrossMedia’s retailer clients was Thanksgiving Day, with nearly 1.3 million web visits, CrossMedia says.

CrossMedia adds that Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox edged out Sony Corp.’s PlayStation as the most searched-for product during the holiday shopping season. Other leading items were Nintendo gaming systems, plasma-screen TVs, furniture, DVD players, digital cameras and Apple Computer Inc.’s iPod digital music player.