Consumer Online Retail Spending Tops $610 Million Per Day for Five Consecutive Days with Online Holiday Season Spending to Date Growing 25 Percent Versus 2005, According to Comscore Networks

Heaviest Online Shopping Day of the 2006 Holiday Season Expected to Occur Week of December 11

RESTON, Va., December 10, 2006 — Comscore Networks, a leader in measuring the digital age, today released its estimates of consumer online non-travel (retail) spending at U.S. sites for the 2006 holiday season through December 8. During the first 38 days of the season this year, total online retail spending reached $15.6 billion, marking a 25-percent increase versus the corresponding days in 2005.

2006 Holiday Season To Date vs. Corresponding Days in 2005
Non-Travel (Retail) Spending
Excludes Auctions and Large Corporate Purchases
Source: Comscore Networks

Billions ($)

Holiday Season to Date

2005

2006

Pct Change

November 1 - December 8

$12.47

$15.58

25%

“Online consumer spending growth continues to beat expectations, increasing 25 percent versus last year,” said Gian Fulgoni, chairman of Comscore Networks. “The single-biggest online consumer spending day last year was Monday, December 12 with $556 million spent, but this year we’ve already seen 7 days eclipse $600 million in spending. In fact, each of the five days in the most recent work week (Monday, December 4 – Friday, December 8) exceeded $610 million. We expect that the heaviest day of this holiday season will occur during the week of December 11, with sales that should approach $700 million.”

Amazon.com Reigns as Highest Selling Online Retailer During 2006 Holiday Season to Date but “Bricks and Mortar” Retailers Growing Faster

Despite the first mover advantage held by online-only retailers, an analysis of sales by retailer for the 2006 holiday season through December 8 reveals the current strength of multi-channel retailers. While Amazon ranks first in online sales this season, only three of the ten largest online retailers are “pure-plays.” Retailers with bricks and mortar stores take seven of the top ten spots. Among the sites with the highest online sales, some are generating growth rates in excess of 50 percent. Best Buy ranks highest in sales growth, followed by Ticketmaster, Wal-Mart, Circuit City and Victoria’s Secret, clearly revealing the strength of the multi-channel retailers.

Top Retail Web Sites, Ranked by Dollars Spent*
Non-Travel (Retail) Spending
Excludes Auctions and Large Corporate Purchases
2006 Holiday Season to Date (Nov. 1 – Dec. 8)
Source: Comscore Networks

2006 Sales Rank

Growth Rate Rank**

Retail Site

1

6

Amazon.com

2

10

Dell.com

3

7

Yahoo.com

4

3

Walmart.com

5

8

JCPenny.com

6

2

Ticketmaster.com

7

9

Apple.com

8

5

VictoriasSecret.com

9

1

BestBuy.com

10

4

Circuitcity.com

* Excludes Auction Sites
** Versus year ago; based on largest ten retail sites in dollar sales

Weekly Online Holiday Retail Sales

Please contact press@comscore.com to receive the data behind the above for use in graphical representation.

Comscore Networks 2006 E-Commerce Forecast

Online Non-Travel Holiday Consumer Spending
Excludes Auctions and Large Corporate Purchases
Source: Comscore Networks

Billions ($)

2005

2006

Pct
Change

January – October

$62.6

$77.5

24%

Holiday Season (Nov-Dec)

$19.6

$24.3*

24%*

*Comscore Networks forecast

About Comscore Networks
Comscore Networks is a global leader in measuring the digital age. 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 consultants 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 global leaders such as AOL, Microsoft, Yahoo!, Verizon, Best Buy, The Newspaper Association of America, Tribune Interactive, ESPN, Fox Sports, Nestlé, MBNA, Universal McCann, the United States Postal Service, Merck and Expedia. For more information, please visit www.comscore.com.

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