Comscore Reports Record-Breaking $43.4 Billion in Q4 2010 U.S. Retail E-Commerce Spending, Up 11 Percent vs. Year Ago

Comscore Chairman Gian Fulgoni to Present Update on Q4 2010 E-Commerce Trends in Upcoming Webinar

RESTON, VA, February 4, 2011 – Comscore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today released its Q4 2010 U.S. retail e-commerce sales estimates, which showed that online retail spending reached a record $43.4 billion for the quarter, up 11 percent versus year ago. This growth rate represented the fifth consecutive quarter of positive year-over-year growth and second quarter of double-digit growth rates in the past year.

Retail E-Commerce (Non-Travel) Growth Rates
Excludes Auctions, Autos and Large Corporate Purchases
Total U.S. – Home/Work/University Locations
Source: Comscore, Inc.

Quarter

E-Commerce Spending ($ Millions)

Y/Y Percent Change

Q1 2007

$27,970

17%

Q2 2007

$27,176

23%

Q3 2007

$28,441

23%

Q4 2007

$39,132

19%

Q1 2008

$31,178

11%

Q2 2008

$30,581

13%

Q3 2008

$30,274

6%

Q4 2008

$38,071

-3%

Q1 2009

$31,031

0%

Q2 2009

$30,169

-1%

Q3 2009

$29,552

-2%

Q4 2009

$39,045

3%

Q1 2010

$33,984

10%

Q2 2010

$32,942

9%

Q3 2010

$32,133

9%

Q4 2010

$43,432

11%

“Retail e-commerce had a strong fourth quarter, growing 11 percent versus last year as holiday season spending was bolstered by an improving sentiment among some consumer segments and by retailers’ discounting and promotions,” said Comscore chairman Gian Fulgoni. “The 2010 holiday season saw the first billion-dollar day on record and several more surpassing $900 million to help propel Q4 to record spending levels. We anticipate that the progress we’ve seen in the past year as we climbed out of the recession will continue with sustained double-digit growth rates in 2011.”

Other highlights from Q4 2010 include:

  • The top-performing online product categories were Computer Software (excl. PC Games), Consumer Electronics, Books & Magazines (excl. digital downloads), Computers/Peripherals/PDAs, and Toys & Hobbies. Each of the aforementioned categories grew at least 15 percent in Q4 2010 vs. year ago.
  • The top 25 online retailers accounted for 68.4 percent of dollars spent online, up 5.6 percentage points vs. year ago. However, this percentage represented a decline from Q3 2010, during which the top 25 retailers accounted for 69.9 percent of dollars, an indication that small and mid-sized retailers are also rebounding from the recession.
  • 84 percent of U.S. Internet users conducted an online transaction in Q4 2010, up from 78 percent last year. The average buyer spent about the same amount online during the most recent quarter as they did last year.

Webinar Series: State of the U.S. Online Retail Economy through Q4 2010
Join Gian Fulgoni and Andrew Lipsman, senior director of industry analysis, as they present an update of the state of the U.S. online retail economy through Q4 2010 in a live webinar on Thursday, February 17 at 2:00 p.m. ET/1:00 p.m. CT.

The webinar presentation will include an overview of changes in consumers’ online spending patterns through Q4 2010, survey findings that highlight consumer sentiments regarding the economy, analysis of spending patterns across key product categories, retailer sectors and consumer demographic segments, and a special section on emerging trends in mobile e-commerce.

To register for the webinar, please visit: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/768913889

About Comscore
Comscore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world and preferred source of digital business analytics. For more information, please visit www.comscore.com/companyinfo.

Press
Bill Daddi
Daddi Brand Communications
646-370-1341
press@comscore.com