Information Week
Online retailers are continuing to muscle in on bricks-and-mortar stores as evidenced by the 3% increase in holiday spending to date by consumers buying online compared with 2008. Shoppers spent $595 million on Friday's online shopping alone, according to comScore.
The online measuring firm said $10.57 billion has been spent by online shoppers. The $595 million spent on Black Friday represented an 11% increase over last year's Black Friday.
"While this acceleration in spending suggests the online holiday season may be shaping up slightly more optimistically than anticipated," said comScore chairman Gian Fulgoni in a statement, "it may also reflect the heavy discounting and creative promotions being put forth by retailers that now encompass the use of social networks such as Facebook and Twitter."
comScore reported that Amazon was the most visited online retail property on Black Friday. The online retailer delivered gains of 28% over last year. Close behind was Walmart, which grew 22% while Apple.com Worldwide Sites, Target Corporation andBest Buy (NYSE: BBY) Sites also showed gains.
Deal sites have also fared well in the early days of the holiday shopping period. comScore said BFads was in the forefront of deal sites with 3.9 million unique visitors. That number represented a 4% gain over its numbers for the previous year.
comScore is continuing to compile figures for the holiday season. "Cyber Monday - the traditional kick-off to the online holiday shopping seasons - and the subsequent weeks will be the real test for how online retailers fare this season," said Fulgoni. "That said, this is a very encouraging start."
The online measuring firm said $10.57 billion has been spent by online shoppers. The $595 million spent on Black Friday represented an 11% increase over last year's Black Friday.
"While this acceleration in spending suggests the online holiday season may be shaping up slightly more optimistically than anticipated," said comScore chairman Gian Fulgoni in a statement, "it may also reflect the heavy discounting and creative promotions being put forth by retailers that now encompass the use of social networks such as Facebook and Twitter."
comScore reported that Amazon was the most visited online retail property on Black Friday. The online retailer delivered gains of 28% over last year. Close behind was Walmart, which grew 22% while Apple.com Worldwide Sites, Target Corporation andBest Buy (NYSE: BBY) Sites also showed gains.
Deal sites have also fared well in the early days of the holiday shopping period. comScore said BFads was in the forefront of deal sites with 3.9 million unique visitors. That number represented a 4% gain over its numbers for the previous year.
comScore is continuing to compile figures for the holiday season. "Cyber Monday - the traditional kick-off to the online holiday shopping seasons - and the subsequent weeks will be the real test for how online retailers fare this season," said Fulgoni. "That said, this is a very encouraging start."
