RESTON, VA, January 5, 2006 – comScore Networks today released holiday season and annual spending figures for full year 2005. Online non-travel spending during the 2005 holiday season (November 1 through December 31, 2005) totaled $19.6 billion, representing a 25-percent increase over the $15.7 billion posted during the corresponding period in 2004. Online travel spending generated an additional $8.6 billion during November and December. Total Internet spending for the full year 2005, including travel, reached $143.2 billion, up 22 percent over the $117.2 billion spent online in 2004.

“With $143 billion spent online in 2005 and a growth rate of 22 percent, this was clearly another very strong year for e-commerce,” said Gian Fulgoni, comScore chairman. “We also estimate that online spending on non-travel now represents approximately 6 percent of all consumer retail spending, excluding expenditures for autos, gasoline and food. So, a 24 percent annual increase in online spending represents more than a full percentage point of consumers’ expenditures, clearly showing that the traditional metric – retail same-store sales – alone is no longer sufficient to paint an accurate picture of trends in consumer spending.”

Fastest Growing Product Categories An analysis of sales growth for select product categories revealed that Apparel and Accessories was one of the fastest growing categories in 2005, rising 36 percent above 2004 sales to $12.2 billion. Consumers’ increased comfort in purchasing online led to strong performance in a broad range of products, as evidenced by exceptional growth in categories ranging from Home & Garden (32 percent) to Jewelry & Watches (27 percent) and Furniture (24 percent).

About comScore Networks

comScore Networks provides unparalleled insight into consumer behavior and attitudes. This capability is based on a massive, global cross-section of more than 2 million consumers who have given comScore explicit permission to confidentially capture their browsing and transaction behavior, including online and offline purchasing. comScore panelists also participate in survey research that captures and integrates their attitudes and intentions. Through its proprietary technology, comScore measures what matters across a broad spectrum of behavior and attitudes. comScore consultants apply this deep knowledge of customers and competitors to help clients design powerful marketing strategies and tactics that deliver superior ROI. comScore services are used by global leaders such as AOL, Microsoft, Yahoo!, Verizon, Best Buy, The Newspaper Association of America, Tribune Interactive, ESPN, Nestlй, MBNA, Universal McCann, the United States Postal Service, Merck and Orbitz. For more information, please visit www.comscore.com.

Source: Comscore

Source: Wired News