Number of online shoppers races far ahead of last year, Jupiter says

The number of consumers shopping online jumped 50% last week from the same week a year earlier, Jupiter Media Metrix, an Internet and new technology analysis and measurement service, reported today. The number of online shoppers increased 1% from the week before. Last week saw 52.4 million consumers shopping online, up from 34.9 million last year at the same time.

Guide to E-Commerce Technology

"While this week last year marked the downturn in holiday traffic to shopping sites, traffic continues to increase steadily this year," said Charles Buchwalter, vice president, media research, Jupiter Media Metrix. "A variety of deals and extended free-shipping incentives are contributing to this week`s shopping activity. And with many brick-and-mortar stores offering gift-purchasing online and pick-up in stores, it`s likely we`ll see more last-minute online shopping this year."

Jupiter Media Metrix’s 2001 Holiday E-Commerce Series offered the following highlights:
-- Top Gaining Sites - This week`s top gaining shopping sites, ranked according to their percent-growth in average daily visitors versus the previous week, include: Drugstore.com, which increased 228% to 475,000 average daily visitors; Officedepot.com, which increased 219% to 443,000; and Bargainandhaggle.com, which increased 121% to 115,000. This week`s top gaining shopping sites, ranked according to their total increase in average daily visitors versus the previous week, are: Drugstore.com, which increased by 330,000 average daily visitors to 475,000; Officedepot.com, which increased by 304,000 average daily visitors to 443,000; and Oldnavy.com, which increased by 100,000 average daily visitors to 256,000.
-- Notable Category Gainers - Top gaining shopping categories, ranked according to their percent-change in average daily visitors versus the previous week, include: health care, which increased 56% to 961,000 average daily visitors; consumer goods, which increased 27% to 1.2 million; and flowers/gifts/greetings, which increased 23% to 1.7 million. The same three categories were also the top three gainers according to their total increase in average daily visitors: health care increased by 343,000 to 961,000 average daily visitors; flowers/gifts/greetings increased by 321,000 to 1.7 million; and consumer goods increased by 256,000 to 1.2 million.