An industry report claims U.S. consumers spent $23.2 billion via the Internet in the 2004 holiday shopping season, up 25 percent from $18.5 billion in 2003.
The eSpending report estimate from Goldman, Sachs & Co., Harris Interactive and Nielsen//NetRatings is higher than the total issued by comScore Networks Inc., a Chicago market researcher.
According to comScore's numbers released last week, online consumers spent $14.8 billion from Nov. 1 to Dec. 26, up from $11.5 billion in 2003. The company said holiday e-commerce would exceed $15.8 billion for all of November and December, a 29 percent rise from a year ago.
Both estimates exclude travel, which typically is the No. 1 e-commerce category.
The eSpending report, based on weekly surveys of more than 1,000 respondents, said online consumers spent most on apparel: $3.8 billion. Toys and video games came next, with $2.5 billion. Consumer electronics was No. 3, at $2.3 billion and a 10 percent share.
Mickey Alam Khan covers Internet marketing campaigns and e-commerce as well as circulation and agencies for DM News and DM News.com. To keep up with the latest developments in these areas, subscribe to our daily and weekly e-mail newsletters by visiting www.dmnews.com/newsletters
