During the first 48 days of the holiday season, ended Dec. 18, total online retail spending reached $20.65 billion, marking a 25-percent increase versus the corresponding days in 2005, according to Reston-Virg.-based comScore Networks.

“The strategy of luring holiday shopping procrastinators with extended shipping guarantees paid off handsomely for online retailers,” said Gian Fulgoni, chairman of comScor, which tracks digital data. “Consumers spent more than $643 million during the weekend of December 16-17, up 34 percent versus the corresponding days last year. Monday, December 18 saw $525 million in spending, which marked a 28-percent increase. That we are seeing above-average growth rates this late in the holiday season is clear evidence that consumers have strong faith in the ability of online retailers to ‘deliver the goods.'”

A total of 12 days during the holiday saw online sales surpass the $600 million mark, comScore reports. In comparison, the highest day for online retail spending during 2005 was on Dec. 12, with $556 million spent. In 2006, the highest single-day total was $667 million on Dec. 13, followed by Monday, Dec. 11 ($661 million) and Monday, December 4 ($647.5 million). Interestingly, Monday, Nov. 27, the highly promoted “Cyber Monday,” was the twelfth-highest spending day for the season.

JCK