Sales during Online Holiday Shopping Season Decline by 3 Percent
Despite Weak Season Apple, Amazon, Wal-Mart and Sears Post Traffic Increases
RESTON, VA, December 30, 2008 – Comscore (NASDAQ : SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today reported its tracking of holiday season retail e-commerce spending for the holiday shopping season, beginning November 1 and ending December 23, the last day to purchase online with the possibility of delivery by Christmas Eve. Online spending reached $25.5 billion during that period, down 3 percent versus the corresponding shopping days in 2007.
2008 Holiday Season vs. Corresponding Days* in 2007 | |||
Holiday Season | Millions ($) | ||
2007 | 2008 | Pct Change | |
November 1 – December 23 | $26,332 | $25,537 | -3% |
*Corresponding days based on corresponding shopping days (Oct. 27 – Dec. 18, 2007)
“The 2008 online holiday shopping season has declined 3 percent versus year ago, falling behind our expectation of flat sales this year,” said Comscore chairman Gian Fulgoni. “This marks the first time we’ve seen negative growth rates for the holiday season since we began tracking e-commerce in 2001. The combination of having five fewer shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas and the severe economic headwinds faced by consumers has made this a really tough season for retailers, both offline and online.”
Q4 E-Commerce Spending to Date
The growth rate for Q4 2008 to date compared to the same period a year ago will end up looking marginally worse than the holiday season results. For the period of October 1 – December 28 compared to the same calendar days in 2008, e-commerce spending is down 4 percent to 36.8 billion. The fourth quarter of 2008 will also mark the first full quarter to record a negative growth rate since Comscore began tracking e-commerce.
Fourth Quarter-to-Date E-Commerce Spending | |||
Q4-to-Date | Millions ($) | ||
2007 | 2008 | Pct Change | |
October 1 – December 28 | $38,376 | $36,803 | -4% |
Apple and Amazon among Top Traffic Gainers in December
Despite soft online sales this holiday season, consumers continued to shop online for the best deals. In the period of December 1-24 vs. the corresponding shopping days last year, several top retailers achieved growth in visitation to their sites. eBay remained the most visited retail site with 85.4 million visitors but saw a slight decline of 4 percent in visitors, while three of the top five most visited sites recorded gains. Amazon Sites grew 7 percent to 76.2 million visitors, followed by Wal-Mart (up 4 percent to 51.5 million visitors), Target (down 1 percent to 46.8 million visitors) and Apple Inc. (up 19 percent to 35 million visitors).
Traffic Growth to Top Retailer Sites | |||
Unique Visitors (000) | |||
2007 | 2008 | Percent Change | |
Total Internet | 171,113 | 179,997 | 5% |
eBay | 88,894 | 85,442 | -4% |
Amazon Sites | 70,975 | 76,240 | 7% |
Wal-Mart | 49,632 | 51,546 | 4% |
Target Corporation | 47,338 | 46,837 | -1% |
Apple Inc. | 29,450 | 35,017 | 19% |
Best Buy Sites | 28,602 | 28,555 | 0% |
JCPenney Sites | 21,329 | 18,918 | -11% |
Toysrus Sites | 19,817 | 18,075 | -9% |
Sears.com | 18,010 | 18,413 | 2% |
Circuit City Stores, Inc. | 19,466 | 15,456 | -21% |
Overstock.com | 18,911 | 15,951 | -16% |
AmericanGreetings Property | 17,273 | 14,666 | -15% |
Hewlett Packard | 15,217 | 19,425 | 28% |
Dell | 17,279 | 14,305 | -17% |
Macy's Inc. | 15,715 | 15,868 | 1% |
*Corresponding days based on corresponding shopping days (Oct. 27 – Dec. 19, 2007)
Comscore’s Summary of 2008 Holiday Online Retail Spending by Key Time Period
Online Non-Travel (Retail) Holiday Consumer Spending | |||
Millions ($) | |||
2007 | 2008 | Pct Change | |
January – October | $93,551 | $102,144 | 9% |
November 1 – December 23* | $26,332 | $25,537 | -3% |
November 27 (Thanksgiving Day)* | $273 | $288 | 6% |
November 28 (Black Friday)* | $531 | $534 | 1% |
December 1 (Cyber Monday)* | $733 | $846 | 15% |
Heaviest Online Shopping Day | $881 (Dec. 10) | $887 (Dec. 9) | 1% |
* Versus Corresponding Shopping Days in 2007 Relative to Thanksgiving
About Comscore
Comscore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world and preferred source of digital marketing intelligence. For more information, please visit www.comscore.com/companyinfo.
Press
Bill Daddi
Daddi Brand Communications
646-370-1341
press@comscore.com