Online retail sales in the third quarter reached $23.1 billion, up 23 percent from $18.8 billion in 3Q05, Internet Retailer writes, citing comScore figures.

Retail categories with significant online sales growth in the third quarter were consumer electronics (excluding PC peripherals), up 42 percent; apparel and accessories, up 32 percent; sport and fitness, up 29 percent; and computer software (excluding PC games), up 27 percent.

Online travel spending in Q3 totaled $18.2 billion, up 9 percent from $16.8 billion a year ago, according to comScore.

For the first three quarters of the year, online sales were up 24 percent from the year-ago period, reaching $69.1 billion. Online travel sales were up 13 percent, to $52.9 billion.