Look for happy holidays online. Even before gas prices started dropping, consumers and retailers alike were predicting that 2006 would be another strong online holiday shopping season. One difference this year: sales growth will come less from newcomers and much more from experienced online buyers who increase their spending.
Attention: Marketers, Advertising Agencies and Online Retailers.
The Online Holiday Shopping Preview forecasts what will happen online in the important months prior and up to and immediately following the holiday shopping season.
eMarketer predicts that Web merchants will ring up sales worth $24.3 billion during the upcoming holiday season, November and December, a respectable 22.1% growth over last year.
But there are many numbers – and many trends – behind those numbers.
Key questions the "Online Holiday Shopping Preview" answers:
- How has online holiday shopping evolved?
- How will online holiday spending this year match up against prior years?
- Where are online consumers shopping and what are they buying during the holiday shopping season?
- What tactics are retailers planning to use to attract shoppers to their Web sites?
- And many more...
eMarketer Reports—On-Target and Up-to-Date
The Online Holiday Shopping Preview aggregates the latest data from leading marketing, commerce and communications researchers with eMarketer numbers, projections and analysis to provide the information you need to make the right business decision—every time.
To download the report to your desktop—or receive a bound-paper copy via FedEx—click Add to Cart:
Look for happy holidays online. Even before gas prices started dropping, consumers and retailers alike were predicting that 2006 would be another strong online holiday shopping season. One difference this year: sales growth will come less from newcomers and much more from experienced online buyers who increase their spending.
Executive Summary
US Retail E-Commerce Holiday Sales, 2002-2006 (billions and % increase vs. prior year)
Issues & Questions
The eMarketer View
Key eMarketer Numbers: Online Holiday Shopping
Holiday Shopping Outlook
US Holiday Retail Sales, 2002-2006 (billions and % increase vs. prior year)
Attitudes of US Consumers toward Holiday Spending, September 2005 & September 2006 (% of respondents)
Change in Holiday Sales Projections according to US Retailers, 2006 vs. 2005 (% of respondents)
Change in Holiday Income Projections according to US Retailers, 2006 vs. 2005 (% of respondents)
Greatest Challenges that US Retailers Expect to Face during the Holiday Season, 2006 (% of respondents)
Market Trends
US Q4 Retail E-Commerce Sales, 2002-2006 (billions and % increase vs. prior year)
US Retail E-Commerce Sales, by Quarter, 2006 (billions and % of total)
US Retail E-Commerce Holiday Sales, 2002-2006 (billions and % increase vs. prior year)
Comparative Estimates: US Retail E-Commerce Holiday Sales, 2002-2006 (billions)
Anatomy of the Online Holiday Season
US Retail E-Commerce Sales, by Week Ended, Holiday season 2004 & Holiday season 2005 (billions)
US Retail E-Commerce Sales Growth, by Week Ended, Holiday season 2005 (% increase vs. prior year)
Top 10 Non-Travel Online Holiday Shopping Spending Days among US Home, Work and University Internet Users, November 1-December 16, 2005
Consumer Trends
Demographic Profile of US Internet Users Who Shopped Online for the Holidays, December 27-29, 2005 (% of respondents in each group)
US Holiday Gift Spending, by Sales Channel, 2002-2005 (% of total and % change)
Internet Access Location Most Frequently Used for Online Holiday Shopping according to US Internet Users, 2005 (% of respondents)
Shopping Category Trends
Retail Sales in November and December, by Category, 1970-2004 (% of annual sales)
Leading Online Holiday Retail Categories* in the US, November 1-December 25, 2005 (billions and % increase vs. prior year)
Fastest Growing Online Holiday Retail Categories* in the US, November 1-December 25, 2005 (% increase vs. prior year)
Leading Online Holiday Shopping Categories among US Adult Internet Users, October 29-December 23, 2005 (millions and % increase/decrease vs. prior year)
Internet Retailer Trends
How Consumers Find Online Retailers
Leading Reasons US Internet Users Shop Online during the Holiday Season, 2005 (% of respondents)
Level of Concern about Holiday Season Internet Security according to US Internet Users, December 27-29, 2005 (% of respondents)
Location Where US Online Buyers Typically Start Their Online Shopping, September 2006 (% of respondents)
Factors that Influence Where US Online Buyers Decide to Shop, September 2006 (% of respondents)
Websites Where US Internet Users* Researched Products They Bought Online or Offline during the Holiday Season, January 2006 (% of respondents)
Advertising & Marketing Trends
Online Marketing Strategies that US Online Retailers Plan to Increase for the Holiday Season, September 2006 (% of respondents)
Website Features Offered by US Internet Retailers that They Expect to Be the Most Effective for Driving Holiday Sales, September 2006 (% of respondents)
Marketing Promotions that US Internet Retailers Plan to Use this Holiday Season, September 2006 (% of respondents)
Marketing Promotions that US Online Retailers Plan to Use to Generate Online Revenue from Loyal Customers during the Upcoming Holiday Season*, 2005 & 2006 (% of respondents)
Ranking Retail Web Sites
Top 20 Websites that Are Visited for Holiday Shopping according to US Internet Users, 2005 (% of respondents)
Top 10 Most Heavily Visited US Retail Websites during the Holiday Shopping Season, November 1 - December 25, 2005
Customer Satisfaction Scores of the Top 40 US Online Retailers, Spring 2006 (based on 100-point scale)
Future Behavior of Customers of Online Retailers with the Highest and Lowest Customer Satisfaction Rankings in the Top 40 US Online Retailers*, Spring 2006 (based on 100-point scale)
Related Information and Links
Related Links
Suggested Keywords for eStat Database
Contact
Report Contributors
About eMarketer
eMarketer's Core Expertise
Dedicated Team
A Trusted Resource
Look for happy holidays online. Even before gas prices started dropping, consumers and retailers alike were predicting that 2006 would be another strong online holiday shopping season. One difference this year: sales growth will come less from newcomers and much more from experienced online buyers who increase their spending.
Advertising Age
American Demographics
BIGresearch
BizRate.com
Business Software Alliance (BSA)
comScore Inc.
eMarketer
FGI Research
ForeSee Results
Goldman Sachs
Harris Interactive
iProspect
JupiterResearch
Majestic Research
National Retail Federation (NRF)
Nielsen//NetRatings
Oracle
Shop.org
Shopzilla, Inc
US Department of Commerce
Webtrends