U.S. Online Holiday Spending Approaches $25 Billion for the Season, Up 15 Percent vs. Year Ago

RESTON, Va., Dec. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- comScore (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today reported holiday season retail e-commerce spending for the first 39 days of the November – December 2011 holiday season. For the holiday season-to-date, $24.6 billion has been spent online, marking a 15-percent increase versus the corresponding days last year. The most recent week (week ending Dec. 9) reached $5.9 billion in spending, an increase of 15 percent versus the corresponding week last year, with 3 days surpassing $1 billion. For the holiday season-to-date, six individual days have surpassed the billion dollar threshold, led by Cyber Monday at $1.25 billion.

*Corresponding days based on corresponding shopping days (November 2 thru December 10, 2010)

"The most recent week of the online holiday shopping season saw growth rates remain in line with the season-to-date at 15 percent and three individual spending days eclipse the $1 billion threshold," said comScore chairman Gian Fulgoni. "These highlights represent another very positive sign for the holiday shopping season, as the week following 'Cyber Week' often experiences relative softness in spending momentum due to retailers pulling back on their promotional activity. As we enter what will be the heaviest week of the season for online retailers – beginning with 'Green Monday' on December 12 – all signs are now pointing to a strong finish to the season."

"Green Monday" Leads the Way for Online Holiday Shopping

The term "Green Monday" was coined by eBay in 2007 to describe the Monday occurring around the second week of December, which has tended to be the heaviest (or among the heaviest) online spending days of the year. Over the past six holiday shopping seasons, "Green Monday" has consistently ranked among the top spending days of the season, ending the year as the top-ranked spending day twice (2005 and 2007) and the second-ranked spending day three times (2006, 2008 and 2010).

"We know that Green Monday will rank among the top online spending days of the season, but it's hold on the #1 position may be slipping somewhat over time," added Mr. Fulgoni. "One possible reason is that as Free Shipping Day (Friday, December 16 this year) gains in importance each year, online spending during the heaviest week of the season is being more evenly distributed throughout the week, whereas in the past there was a much higher concentration of spending during the early part of the week."

Top Ten Heaviest Online Spending Days on Record

Since comScore began tracking e-commerce spending in 2001, seven individual shopping days have surpassed $1 billion in spending. To date, Cyber Monday 2011 (Nov. 28) ranks as the heaviest online spending day in history at $1.25 billion. Leading off this most recent week of the holiday season, Monday, December 5, 2011 now ranks as the second heaviest spending day in history at $1.18 billion, followed by Tuesday, November 29, 2011 at $1.12 billion and Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at $1.11 billion. Cyber Monday 2010 (Monday, November 29, 2010) rounds out the top five at $1.03 billion. The only day from 2009 to make the list is Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at $913 million, the heaviest spending day of the 2009 season.

About comScore

comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world and preferred source of digital business analytics. For more information, please visit www.comscore.com/companyinfo.

SOURCE comScore, Inc.