Online retail sales continue their torrid pace, comScore reports

Online retail sales grew 43% the week ending Aug. 25 from the year earlier week, reaching $885 million, comScore Networks Inc.’s Media Metrix division reported today. ComScore attributed the boom to consumers’ return from vacation and back-to-school shopping.

Travel sales grew at 16% vs. the same week a year ago, less than half the rate of growth that travel has experienced this year. Travel sales reached $560 million. ComScore says growth in earlier weeks had been accelerated by travel promotions and that slower growth now is the result of the expiration of those deals as well as of consumers’ reluctance to travel around the anniversary of Sept. 11.