ComScore: Online sales in the U.S. to hit $170B in 2006

Computerworld - During the first six months of the year, online spending by consumers totaled $80.8 billion, a 20.1% increase over the same period in 2005, according to research by ComScore Networks Inc. Online retail spending, excluding travel, rose by 24.6% to $46.1 billion, while travel spending hit $34.7 billion, a 14.7% increase.

Several retail categories saw strong growth compared with last year, said Reston, Va.-based ComScore. Online spending on office supplies rose 54%, while online spending for computer software grew 39%. Other categories that experienced sizable gains in the first half of 2006 were sports and fitness, which was up 38%; home and garden, up 36%; and toys and hobbies, up 33%.

Overall, ComScore said it expects total online spending in 2006 to reach approximately $170 billion, with nontravel e-commerce spending hitting approximately $102 billion this year, breaking the $100 billion threshold for the first time. Approximately $24 billion is expected to be spent on nontravel purchases during the 2006 holiday season between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31, comScore said.

"Despite the sluggishness of retail growth in general, online consumer spending remains strong," said ComScore Chairman Gian Fulgoni. "Growth in nontravel online spending continues at a rate of 25% year over year, which suggests that consumers' online purchase behavior has been relatively unaffected by the general economic trends. This news certainly bodes well for online retailers for the upcoming holiday season, with online consumer spending expected to reach $24 billion in the November-through-December period."

In a separate report, eMarketer Inc. predicted that total retail e-commerce sales in the U.S., including travel, will reach $211 billion in 2006, up from $176.4 billion in 2005. Excluding travel, online retail sales will reach $138 billion this year, up from $113.6 billion in 2005.