RAPAPORT... U.S. Christmas-season ecommerce spending rose 15 percent to $48.3 billion from November 1 through December 21, according to comScore Inc. The most recent week (December 15 to 21) posted a strong 18 percent rate of growth, representing $5.8 billion in ecommerce spending as tracked from desktops, according to the group.
“This final week of online holiday shopping before Christmas was very strong, finishing off the season on a high note and virtually guaranteeing ecommerce spending will outperform our pre-season forecast,” said comScore's chairman emeritus, Gian Fulgoni. “We are now running at a 15 percent growth rate in desktop ecommerce for the season, which should be taken as a very positive sign for the economic health of both the U.S. consumer and the ecommerce channel as a whole." Fulgoni added that even with the heaviest spending days completed, there is still another $5 billion in seasonal spending that comScore expects will further boost retail sales before the end of December.
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