comScore Networks released its U.S. e-commerce sales estimates for the third quarter of 2006 and forecast for the full year, estimating that non-travel e-commerce will break the $100 billion threshold for the first time.
In the third quarter, online retail (non-travel) spending increased to $23.1 billion (up 23 percent from a year earlier), while travel spending reached $18.2 billion (up 9 percent), despite a slowing rate of growth, comScore reports. Overall, total online spending by consumers reached $41.3 billion in the third quarter - a 16 percent increase from the year-earlier period.
Some retail categories far outperformed the average year-over-year growth of 23 percent, including consumer electronics (excluding PC Peripherals), which rose 42 percent, and apparel & accessories, up 32 percent; the sport & fitness and computer software (excluding PC games) categories rose 29 percent and 27 percent, respectively.
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Year-to-date online spending (travel and retail) remains strong and is on pace to reach $170 billion in 2006. Through the first three quarters of 2006, total e-commerce spending rose 19 percent compared with last year, reaching $122.1 billion. Retail spending increased 24 percent, reaching $69.1 billion; online travel spending increased 13 percent, to $52.9 billion.
