comScore: Holiday online spending approaches $25 billion

Reston, Va. -- E-commerce spending for November-December holiday season to date totaled $24.6 billion, 15% up over the year-ago period, according to comScore. The most recent week (week ending Dec. 9) reached $5.9 billion in spending, an increase of 15% versus the corresponding week last year, with three days surpassing $1 billion.



“The most recent week of the online holiday shopping season saw growth rates remain in line with the season-to-date at 15% 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 Dec. 12 – all signs are now pointing to a strong finish to the season.”



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).