Consumers Spend More Online in 2010

 width=With the economy improving, online holiday shopping has seen a dramatic increase in year over year sales. Online holiday spending increased 12% in 2010 according to digital business analytics firm comScore. This year’s total online holiday spending is expected to top out at $35 billion a significant increase over last year’s total of $29.1 billion.

The numbers have been increasing steadily since the start of the holiday shopping season on Thanksgiving Day when a 28% year-over-year increase was reported representing $407 million in online sales. On December 17, “free shipping day”, consumers spent 61% more than they did in 2009.

During the final holiday shopping weekend of December 17 and 18, online shopping sales were approximately $900 million during the two day period, for a 17% increase over the corresponding weekend in 2009. The final shopping week of the year, ending December 19, broke records with consumer spending $5.5 billion, a 14% increase over last year’s final shopping week.

“Online retail spending has increased due to the improving economic environment and a long-term shift in consumer behavior toward the online channel,” said Andrew Lipsman, senior director of industry analysis at comScore, through e-mail. “Consumers appreciate the convenience, the ability to find the best prices and the ability to take advantage of discounts when online shopping. I think the especially high growth rates on Thanksgiving and ‘free shipping day’ can be attributed to heavy promotional efforts around those days that we have not seen in years past.”

Related Posts