Online shoppers spend record $5.2 billion in a week
Online shoppers spent $5.2 billion last week, making it the biggest week ever in e-commerce. Four of those days each brought in a haul that surpassed $900 million.
Overall, holiday shoppers have spent 12% more online during the season than they did during the same period in 2009, according to research firm ComScore Inc. The survey was done for a 47-day period that ended Friday, during which buyers dropped $27.5 billion on items online.
Experts said the boom was largely due to an increase in free-shipping offers. More than 1,500 retailers offered free shipping, according to ComScore.
And more than half the transactions recorded during the period qualified for free shipping, the research firm said.
Shoppers went gaga for computer hardware, shelling out 25% more in the category this year for items such as laptops and hand-held devices including Apple Inc. iPads and e-readers.
The consumer-electronics sector grew 22% in revenue, buoyed by flat-panel televisions. Other strong performers included books and magazines, computer software and toys.
