Online retail spending grew 36% last week vs. the same week a year ago, reaching $988 million, ComScore Networks Inc. reported today. The categories with the biggest gains from a year ago were home and garden, where spending is up 146% vs. the same week a year ago and total spending for the past four weeks is up 110%; apparel and accessories, which gained 66% vs. a year ago and 49% for the last four weeks vs. a year ago; books, up 31% for the week but still down 3% for the four weeks vs. a year ago; consumer electronics, up 25% and 15%. Interestingly, computer hardware sales are down 1% for the week and 3% for the four weeks. ComScore’s numbers exclude auctions and large corporate purchases.
"Overall, online sales continue to be strong, but the softness we're
reporting in sales of computer hardware is consistent with overall
expectations of the tech sector," said Michelle David Adams, comScore
Networks vice president. "Last week's online sales growth was influenced by the timing of Thanksgiving 2001 and other events which softened the year-ago period. But even with this effect, comScore data are reporting solid gains as the holiday season progresses."
Total retail sales for the week dropped 5.3% over the same week a year ago, the largest year-to-year decline this year, reports ShopperTrak RCT’s National Retail Sales Estimate. The big decline was a timing issue, however, because of the lateness of Thanksgiving this year. Sales rose 1.9% from the prior week.
Online sales of travel services totaled $626 million, 92% greater than the same week last year.
ComScore bases its sales figures on buying activity of a
representative cross-section of more than 1.5 million Internet
users who have given permission to monitor their browsing and buying behavior.
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