Online Shopping Activity Up 44 Percent, Nielsen Index Says
Online shopping has jumped 44 percent since the beginning of the holiday shopping season, Nielsen//NetRatings said yesterday.More than 156.5 million shopping trips were conducted during the week ending Dec. 8, according to Nielsen's Holiday eCommerce Index. Nielsen defines a shopping trip as a single visit to a shopping site.
The toys and games category soared 128.7 percent from the week ending Oct. 27, while consumer electronics was up 86.6 percent for the same period. Other increases: apparel, up 56.3 percent; virtual department stores, 54.3 percent; value-oriented sites, 48 percent; travel, 44 percent.
"Sites such as Bestbuy.com and Circuitcity.com are experiencing much success this year," said Nielsen analyst Patrick Thomas. "Heavy promotions for in-store pickup is an extra incentive for shoppers, providing more savings on shipping costs."
