Germany is lagging in seasonal online retail shopping
LONDON, U.K., DECEMBER 12, 2007 – Comscore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today released the second in a series of three studies of the online shopping activity of U.K., French and German consumers this Christmas season. This study tracked the number of visits to online retail sites each week since October 29, using data collected from the Comscore World Metrix audience measurement service.
Online Retail Site Visits Increase in November
In the U.K., cyber shopping visits continued to gain momentum in the last week of November, up 34 percent versus the average weekly online shopping activity in the eight weeks prior to the start of the Christmas shopping season. French cyber shopping activity was also up 27 percent over the base period. Christmas shopping activity in Germany has started more slowly, primarily due to the trade union strikes in the transport and service industries and the reported decline in consumer confidence.
“While the number of visits to online retail sites is developing well for the Christmas shopping season in the U.K. and France, retail site visitation in Germany is still not higher than it was before the Christmas shopping season started. This lack of online retail growth is consistent with the softness in retail spending in Germany that has been widely reported,” observed Bob Ivins, Comscore EVP, European Markets.
Christmas Online Shopping Index*Visits to Online Retail Sites Excluding Auction SitesU.K., France, & Germany**Source: Comscore World Metrix, 2007
Time Period
U.K.
France
Germany
Base Period Index (Sep 3 – Oct 28)***
100
Week 1 (Oct 29 - Nov 4)
112
115
102
Week 2 (Nov 5 - Nov 11)
124
138
105
Week 3 (Nov 12 - Nov 18)
125
127
99
Week 4 (Nov 19 - Nov 25)
123
121
97
Week 5 (Nov 26 - Dec 2)
134
*Point index represents the percentage change in the number of visits to online retail sites compared to the pre-Christmas season base period average**Total U.K.., French & German Internet Audiences, Age 15+, Home & Work Locations. Excludes traffic from public computers such as Internet cafes or access from mobile phones or PDAs***Defined as the average weekly visits to online retail sites excluding auction sites for the period Sep 3 – Oct 28
U.K. Online Retail Traffic Leaders
Visits to online retail sites in the U.K. were led during November by the online retailer Amazon Sites, with a nine percent share of total online retail category visits for the month. Apple Inc., which also has high-street stores in the U.K., had a six percent share, while the Home Retail Group, owner of multi-channel retailers Argos and Homebase, had a four percent share. Supermarket chain Tesco, also held a four percent share. Rounding out the top five positions is online retailer Play.com sites with 3 percent of the retail site visits.
Top Retail Sites by Average Share of Visits from U.K. Users during the November Christmas Shopping Period*Total U.K., Age 15+ - Home & Work Locations**Source: Comscore World Metrix, 2007
Property
U.K. Average Share of Visits to Online Retail Sites
Amazon Sites
9%
Apple Inc.
6%
Home Retail Group
4%
Tesco Stores
Play.com Sites
3%
*Average share of total visits to online retail sites by U.K. visitors for the period Oct 29 – Dec 2 excluding auction sites** Excludes traffic from public computers such as Internet cafes or access from mobile phones or PDAs
French Online Retail Traffic Leaders
Visits to online retail sites in France were led during November by Groupe PPR. The French multi-channel retailer, which owns brands such as LaRedoute.fr and Fnac.com, had an eleven percent share of total visits to the online retail sector, over twice that of its closest competitor, Apple Inc., which had a five percent share. Amazon Sites and Otto Gruppe followed, each with a four percent share.
Top Retail Sites by Average Share of Visits from French Users during the November Christmas Shopping Period*Total France Age 15+ - Home & Work Locations**Source: Comscore World Metrix, 2007
French Average Share of Visits to Online Retail Sites
Groupe PPR
11%
5%
Otto Gruppe
CDiscount.com
*Average share of total visits to online retail sites by French visitors for the period Oct 29 – Dec 2, excluding auction sites** Excludes traffic from public computers such as Internet cafes or access from mobile phones or PDAs
German Online Retail Traffic Leaders
Visits to online retail sites in Germany were led during November by multi-channel catalogue specialist, Otto Gruppe, with a 13 percent share of the online retail visits for the month. It was followed by pure play online retailer, Amazon Sites – also a popular choice in the U.K. and France – with a nine percent share. Quelle.de, Apple, Inc, and Neckermann.de round out the top five, with 7 percent, 4 percent, and 3 percent shares of online retail visits, respectively.
Top Retail Sites by Average Share of Visits from German Users during the November Christmas Shopping Period*Total Germany Age 15+ - Home & Work Locations**Source: Comscore World Metrix, 2007
German Average Share of Visits to Online Retail Sites
13%
Quelle.de
7%
Neckermann.de
*Average share of total visits to online retail sites by German visitors for the period Oct 29 – Dec 2, excluding auction sites** Excludes traffic from public computers such as Internet cafes or access from mobile phones or PDAs
About ComscoreComscore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world. This capability is based on a massive, global cross-section of more than 2 million consumers who have given Comscore permission to confidentially capture their browsing and transaction behavior, including online and offline purchasing. Comscore panelists also participate in survey research that captures and integrates their attitudes and intentions. Through its proprietary technology, Comscore measures what matters across a broad spectrum of behavior and attitudes. Comscore analysts apply this deep knowledge of customers and competitors to help clients design powerful marketing strategies and tactics that deliver superior ROI. Comscore services are used by more than 800 clients, including global leaders such as AOL, Microsoft, Yahoo!, BBC, Carat, Cyworld, Deutsche Bank, France Telecom, Best Buy, The Newspaper Association of America, Financial Times, ESPN, Fox Sports, Nestlé, Starcom, Universal McCann, the United States Postal Service, Verizon, ViaMichelin, Merck and Expedia. For more information, please visit www.comscore.com
Ayaan MohamudComscore, Inc.+ 44 (0) 207-099-1775worldpress@comscore.com