The online sales rocket shoots up 62% vs. year ago for week ending Oct. 6

Online retail sales for the week ending Oct. 6 skyrocketed 62% to $918 million over the comparable week a year earlier, comScore Networks Inc.’s Media Metrix division reported today. Travel sales were up 46% over the same week last year to $587 million. By contrast, total retail sales the same week grew 0.4% over the year-earlier figure, the lowest weekly year-over-year growth since Sept. 22, 2001, reports the National Retail Sales Estimate from ShopperTrak RTC.

On a week-over-week basis, online sales were up 13% while total sales were up 5.6%.

Major categories registering significant year-over-year growth included office supplies, up 220%, gifts and flowers, up 211% and toys, up 114%.