Retail websites in the UK experienced a 65% increase in shopping traffic in the week ending November 26, according to comScore Networks.
ComScore’s European holiday season shopping analysis examines cyber shopping activity (defined as visits to secure web pages) at the top UK, France and German retail sites during the holiday season, starting on October 30.
It reveals that French retail sites have experienced the largest gains in the first three weeks of the season (versus the pre-holiday shopping period from August 28 – October 29), capped off by a 79% gain in cyber shopping traffic during the most recent week (ending November 26) versus the pre-holiday average.
Meanwhile, German sites experienced a 63% rise in the most recent week compared to pre-holiday levels.
Bob Ivins, managing director of comScore Europe, said: “While cyber shopping visits rose most quickly in Germany during the first week of the holiday shopping season, online shoppers in France have since become more active.”
Ivins added: “These gains show that consumers armed with high-speed access and positive online retail experiences are increasingly comfortable shopping online.
“As online spending continues to grow and account for a larger percentage of total consumer spending, the growth in online shopping could be the difference between a good Christmas and a great Christmas for many online retailers.”
| European Holiday Cyber Shopping Index*: |
| Visits to Secure Sections of Online Retailing Sites |
| UK, France and Germany |
| Source: comScore World Metrix |
| |
UK |
France |
Germany |
| Holiday Season Shopping Periods |
|
|
|
| Pre-Holiday Base Period Index |
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Week 1 (10/30- 11/5) |
137 |
153 |
157 |
| Week 2 (11/6-11/12) |
146 |
162 |
153 |
| Week 3 (11/13-11/19) |
151 |
165 |
156 |
| Week 4 (11/20-11/26) |
165 |
179 |
163 |
| *Defined as the change in number of visits to secure sections of retail sites compared to the pre-holiday base period, which is the average of weekly visits to secure sections of online retail sites from 28 August – 29 October. An index of 165 should be read as 65 percent more visits to secure sections of retail sites took place, compared to the average (100) during the pre-holiday period. |
Cyber shopping visits in the UK were led during the week ending 26 November by online super stores, including GUS (owner of Argus and Burberry), which captured the highest share in the category (11%). Amazon Sites followed with 10% of all cyber shopping visits, and Tesco Stores captured 7%.
Recent analysis from Nielsen//NetRatings revealed that women are 38% more likely than men to buy a Christmas gift online and 55% more likely than men to do “as much of their Christmas shopping as possible” over the internet (see Women Dominate Success Of Online Christmas).
Meanwhile, in November the Interactive Media in Retail Group said that consumers in the UK will spend online an average of £4 million every hour, day and night during the 10 week run-up to Christmas (see Online Christmas Spending To Reach £7 Billion).
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