The 2009 online holiday shopping season was a positive one for retailers. comScore released the numbers last week and e-commerce retailers saw a 4 percent increase in sales from November to December 2009 compared to the same time period last year. The strong spending growth took place around the Thanksgiving-Black Friday time frame and the final shopping week leading up to Christmas.
According to comScore chairman Gian Fulgoni, some of the reasons for the increase in online shopping this year were because of “effective retailer promotions, guaranteed shipping and a major snowstorm on the eastern seaboard that convinced many to shop from the comfort of home.”
Some of the top performing online retail categories include the jewelry and watch category as well as the consumer electronics category. The jewelry and watch category saw a 20 percent growth from last year and ranked as the number one online retail category. Electronics came in at number two with a 15-percent sales growth.
Media brands started to join the e-commerce business in 2009 as well and will continue to do so this year as they launch and market their own e-commerce sites. Examples include Martha Stewart Living, Architectural Digests ShopAD.net, and Lucky.
The growth in the e-commerce business this past year brings positive hope and optimism for 2010.
It is really good to see this industry on the up once again; right wheres my credit card!