U.S. Online Sales Jump 9% at Start of Holiday Season

U.S. online retail spending from desktop computers rose 9 percent on the year to $31.5 billion for November 1 to December 9, according to sales tracking firm comScore.

But because Thanksgiving Day fell six days later than last year, more heavy spending days fell in the November 1-December 9 period than they did in 2012, thus "diluting growth rates".

"For example, we see a 25-percent increase if using the alternate comparison of the 4-week period preceding Thanksgiving," comScore reported.

Green Monday sales were up 10 percent on last year at $1.4 billion, and the third heaviest online spending day of the holiday season so far.

"Cyber Week, the week beginning with Cyber Monday, posted strong growth online, raking in approximately $8 billion in spending for an increase of 24 percent compared to the same week last year. The Saturday and Sunday following Cyber Monday saw $1.7 billion in spending via desktop computers, up a robust 71 percent versus last year.

"Also noteworthy is that Cyber Week fell just $16 million shy on Friday, December 6 of boasting five billion dollar days during the work week. For the period from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Week, online buying from desktop computers increased a very strong 24 percent."

"Online buying for the period since Thanksgiving has been very strong and indicates that e-commerce is on track to meet expectations,” said comScore chairman Gian Fulgoni. “While Green Monday saw a strong desktop spending total of $1.4 billion, its 10-percent year-over-year growth rate might at first seem somewhat underwhelming given the growth rates we’ve seen for other important days this season.

“However, there is an interesting emerging storyline that helps speak to what’s happening during this year’s very unique holiday season. It would appear that the abbreviated calendar between Thanksgiving and Christmas is compelling shoppers to complete more of their online buying during the weekends – with this most recent weekend boasting an exceptional 71-percent gain from last year, following on the heels of last weekend’s 34-percent jump.

"The weekend is typically a lighter period of online buying than during workdays, but the weekend surges we’re seeing may be attributable to the effects of showrooming, with the in-store shopping experience increasingly getting disrupted by comparison shopping on mobile phones, leading to more conversions online after leaving the store. Of course, it’s also likely that many consumers realize the holiday spending clock is ticking and are urgently buying their gifts whenever they have time. And that, in turn, works to the benefit of e-commerce.”