Consumers are spending more online. Total spending on online sales increased from $3.4 billion in February to $3.5 billion in March, according to the Forrester Research Inc. monthly Online Retail Index. And, the average amount spent per person went up to $263 in March, compared with $248 in February.
The number of households shopping online remained at 13.5 million in March, said the Index, done in conjunction with Greenfield Online.
Among big-ticket items purchased online in March, airline tickets topped the list, with $572.4 million spent. Computer hardware was next with $400.4 million spent.
For small-ticket items, apparel was first with $177.5 million spent. Books at $147.8 million, then software at $135.8 million, were second and third.
The Index measures, on a monthly basis, the growth and seasonality of online shopping based on data collected from online shoppers. Results are based on 5,000 responses during the first nine business days of the month from an online panel developed by Greenfield Online.
Forrester Research, Cambridge, MA, is an emerging-technology research firm. Greenfield Online Inc., Wilton, CT, is a provider of Internet-powered marketing research.
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