Consumers spent an all-time high of $2.2 billion online for the week ending Dec. 13, up 37 percent from the second week after Thanksgiving last year, according to comScore Networks.
Online spending on non-travel-related goods and services was $1.7 billion, a boost of 36 percent over the second week after Thanksgiving last year, said the Reston, VA, Internet audience measurement firm.
Also according to comScore, online spending on travel goods and services was $507 million, a 41 percent rise over the second week after Thanksgiving last year, which ended Dec. 7. This holiday shopping season is one week shorter, and so the second shopping week after Thanksgiving ended Dec. 13.
Dec. 12 was the peak non-travel sales day, according to comScore, with $288 million in online sales.
Cumulative consumer online spending from Nov. 1 through Dec. 13 was $10.8 billion, up 32 percent from last year, comScore said. Non-travel sales were $7.1 billion, up 23 percent, and travel sales were $3.6 billion, up 55 percent.
In other findings:
· Home and garden remained the fastest-growing sales category online with $458 million in sales from Nov. 1 to Dec. 13, up 79 percent from the same period last year.
· Jewelry and watches moved from the third-fastest to second-fastest-growing category with sales of $173 million, up 73 percent from last year.
· Furniture and appliances moved from fifth to third, up 71 percent with $146 million in online sales.
· Toys were fourth, up 69 percent with $348 million.
· Sports and fitness products were fifth, with a 66 percent increase to $199 million.
· Movies and videos were sixth, up 49 percent at $178 million.
· Apparel and accessories were seventh, up 39 percent at $129 million.
· Video games came in tied for eighth, up 28 percent at $111 million.
· Flowers and gifts were $166 million, also up 28 percent.
· Consumer electronics came in at $824 million, up 19 percent.
To reach its conclusions, comScore claims it monitors the behavior of a volunteer panel of 1.5 million Internet users and extrapolates.
