Q3 e-retail up 15% over Q2

The Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce estimates U.S. retail e-commerce sales for third quarter 2000, not adjusted for seasonal, holiday, and trading-day differences, was $6.373 billion, an increase of 15.3% from the revised second quarter 2000 level. The second quarter estimate was revised from $5.518 billion to $5.526 billion. Total retail sales for third quarter 2000 were estimated at $812 billion, a decrease of 0.4% from second quarter 2000. E-commerce sales in the third quarter accounted for 0.78% of total sales. E-commerce sales in the second quarter were 0.68% of total sales. "In the third quarter, sales by mail-order firms on line grew most rapidly, followed by the bricks-and-clicks businesses, and then the pure Internet firms. Further, the three fastest-growing kinds of firms engaging in e-retail in this quarter were mail order firms, auto dealers and bookstores," says Robert Shapiro, under secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs. Retail e-commerce sales are estimated from the same sample used to estimate U.S. retail sales in the Monthly Retail Trade Survey. The survey selects 12,000 retail firms whose sales are then weighted and benchmarked to represent the complete universe of over 2 million retail companies. Online travel services, financial brokers and dealers, and ticket sales agencies are not classified as retail and are not included in either the total retail or retail e-commerce sales estimates. E-commerce sales are included in the total monthly sales estimates. The retail e-commerce sales estimate for the fourth quarter is scheduled for release in February 2001.