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Video games drive online sales in US
Online spending is continuing to surge in America in the run-up to Christmas, with video games and consoles selling like hotcakes.Internet measurement firm comScore found that more than $9.3 billion was spent online between November 1st and 23rd, with was 17 per cent more than during the same period last year.
Particularly heavy web spending was experienced on Thanksgiving Day (29 per cent more than in 2006) and 'Black Friday' (22 per cent up). Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving and is known for large amounts of consumer spending.
"It's clear that consumers are increasingly turning to the internet to make their holiday purchases," said comScore's Gian Fulgoni.
"Online spending on Black Friday has historically represented an early indicator of how the rest of the season will shake out. That the 22 per cent growth rate versus last year is outpacing the overall growth rate for the first three weeks of the season should be seen as a sign of positive momentum."
Video gaming equipment, furniture, and consumer electronics were among the product categories that enjoyed the biggest online sales growth.
The popularity of the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3 consoles and the game Halo led to a 134 per cent increase in sales in video games, consoles and accessories.
Separate figures from comScore indicate that Christmas online shopping is well underway in the UK, which is good news for internet advertisers.
Corporate Internet news posted on 26 November 2007
