Americans spent $13.8 billion over the online holiday shopping season, an increase of 15% over last year.
These consumers reported that 13% of their holiday shopping budget was spent online compared to the $12 billion spent online during the 2000 holiday season, according to the report by Goldman Sachs, Harris Interactive(SM) and Nielsen//NetRatings.
Online spending in December 2001 increased 41% over November 2001.
“Online holiday spending continued its growth, despite pressures from the slowing U.S. economy,” said Lori Iventosch-James, director of e-commerce research at Harris Interactive, in a statement. “However, the 15% increase is more modest than the higher gains experienced in seasons past.”
The season includes November and December. Some 65% of the spending took place during the last two weeks in November and the first two weeks in December totaling more than $9 billion in revenue. Spending peaked during the first week of December, as more than one in five Internet users, or 20%, made a purchase online.
“The steady stream of special sales and free shipping offers during the peak online shopping weeks attracted consumers and helped retailers achieve higher revenue growth,” Iventosch-James said.
In other findings, overall customer satisfaction rose with 86% of shoppers reporting they were satisfied with their experience. Of those surveyed, 24% said that they had a better experience shopping on the Web this season compared to last year.
“While 1999 was nearly a disaster for customer service online, most major problems had been addressed in 2000,” said Sean Kaldor, vice president of analytical services for NetRatings, in a statement.
This report is based on a weekly national survey of 500 online shoppers randomly chosen from Harris Interactive’s member panel of Internet users.
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