Online Shopping Commonplace At Christmas, Says Report
More internet users than ever went online to browse and buy from shopping sites during the 2002 holiday season. That is the conclusion of a new report produced by market researchers at Retail Forward.
A survey carried out in the week after Christmas revealed that 88% of US internet users shopped online and 75% actually bought online in the run-up to the celebrations. This represents an increase on last year when the corresponding figures were 81% and 69% respectively.
There was little noticeable rise in the proportion of users buying CDs and toys but sales of books and clothing contined to increase unabated. Respondents who did not make online purchases cited the need to touch and feel items while others balked at the price of handling and shipping goods.
BizRate estimates that US online retail spend increased by 23% to $7.9 billion in the month leading up to Christmas (see US Online Sales Jump 23% In Run Up To Christmas).
