Consumers set up a blockbuster holiday season at the Box Office
Online Sales of Toys Surge in the Face of Product Recalls
RESTON, VA, October 25, 2007 – Comscore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today released U.S. e-commerce spending figures for the third quarter of 2007, showing that retail e-commerce increased 23 percent versus year ago to $28.4 billion.
Third Quarter U.S. E-Commerce SpendingExcludes Auctions and Large Corporate PurchasesQ3 2007 vs. Q3 2006Total U.S. – Home/Work/University LocationsSource: Comscore
Q3 2006
(MM)
Q3 2007
Percent Change
Total
$41,290
$48,596
18%
Non-Travel (Retail)
$23,050
$28,441
23%
Travel
$18,240
$20,155
11%
“Online retail spending continues to grow at rates in excess of 20 percent year-over-year, which suggests that the market is still far from maturity,” said Comscore Chairman Gian Fulgoni. “Even online travel commerce, which is a more developed market, continues to experience double-digit gains.”
Total U.S. E-Commerce to Reach $200 Billion in 2007
During the first nine months of 2007, total e-commerce spending surpassed $143 billion, putting it on pace to reach $200 billion by the end of the year. Retail e-commerce accounted for nearly $84 billion, or 58 percent of the total, while online travel spending came in just shy of $60 billion.
Year-to-Date U.S. E-Commerce SpendingExcludes Auctions and Large Corporate PurchasesQ1-Q3 2007 vs. Q1-Q3 2006Total U.S. – Home/Work/University LocationsSource: Comscore
Q1 – Q3 2006
Q1 – Q3 2007
$122,055
$143,326
17%
$69,120
$83,587
21%
$52,935
$59,739
13%
Video Games, Consoles & Accessories Continue Torrid Sales Online
Video games, consoles & accessories continues to be the hottest retail category, nearly tripling its online sales from last year on the strength of Nintendo Wii and Sony PlayStation 3-related sales. Consumer electronics was the second-fastest growing category in Q3 (up 58 percent), with high definition and flat screen TVs helping move the needle. It appears that recalls and reports of potentially harmful toy products manufactured in Asia may be accelerating sales of new toys online, since the toys & hobbies category ranked as the third fastest growing category (up 57 percent) during the quarter.
Top Gaining Online Retail CategoriesExcludes Auctions and Large Corporate PurchasesQ3 2007 vs. Q3 2006Total U.S. – Home/Work/University LocationsSource: Comscore
Retail Category
(Q3 2007 vs. Q3 2006)
Video Games, Consoles & Accessories
199%
Consumer Electronics (excl. PC Peripherals)
58%
Toys & Hobbies
57%
Event Tickets
54%
Books & Magazines
48%
Furniture, Appliances & Equipment
47%
Home & Garden
31%
Music, Movies & Videos
Jewelry & Watches
Sport & Fitness
20%
Apparel & Accessories
“Despite the negative publicity of toy recalls, the third quarter saw robust growth for online toy sales,” continued Mr. Fulgoni. “Given some of the uncertainty surrounding the holiday season, it’s possible that consumers were responding to fears of toy shortages and making their purchases early. In addition, it could be that consumers were replacing recalled toys with other new toys. We’ll be closely monitoring growth rates in the fourth quarter to see if these positive trends continue, or if what we’re seeing is simply a short-term reaction to the recalls.”
About Comscore
Comscore, 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 700 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.
PressBill DaddiDaddi Brand Communications646-370-1341press@comscore.com