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Issue #109: Holiday Shopping

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             "Understanding Internet Search Technology"
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Moderator:                                          Published by:
Disa Johnson                                       SearchReturn
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December 12, 2006                         SearchReturn Issue #109
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                   .....IN THIS DIGEST.....

// -- ESSENTIAL NEWS -- //
            "Holiday Shopping Numbers"
                        ~ SearchReturn

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// -- ESSENTIAL NEWS -- //

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==> Holiday Shopping Numbers

http://www.searchreturn.com/digest/refs109.shtml

Essentials: According to MasterCard, online Holiday shopping is
gaining in popularity with consumer spending up 14% on Cyber
Monday this year over last year.  News was that Cyber Monday was
the biggest shopping day in online history.  The biggest day for
online Holiday shoppers last year was December 12.

Although today is the 12th, there is speculation that the actual
day for the biggest online shopping day could come closer to
Christmas Day.  Toys and video games are in the lead, and
Shipping offers can increase consumer confidence that items will
arrive with enough time to wrap them and place them under the
tree.

Growth is not going to slow down after the Holidays much either.
Convenience is key. Consider that 41% of Internet users say they
are going to increase their e-commerce spending in 2007.  Among
575 consumers surveyed by Questus, 77% of those who shop online
said they did so to save time, while 67% did so to shop at any
time of day.

More and more, online consumer behavior is also mimicking offline
shopping.  The story above shows how users are looking for online
bargain opportunities with retailers reacting by publishing
promotions on limited quantities of items, and even handing out
waiting line-style number tickets to shoppers.

For Cyber Monday (and Tuesday) the numbers are excellent.  Akamai
reported as of midday Tuesday 1.8 million North Americans per
minute visited online shopping sites, and Monday peaked with more
than 2.1 million per minute around 2:00 p.m. ET.  That is about
18% higher than Cyber Monday last year setting the new record.

Online retail sales on Cyber Monday was about $600 million and
sales on Black Friday was about $434 million.  That's a 42%
increase from last year on Black Friday.  And now that December
12th is here, we'll be anxious to learn what the biggest online
shopping day of the year really is going to be.  If an upcoming
day increases past Cyber Monday numbers, it will set the new
record for the largest online shopping day in history.

 
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