Online sales for the holiday period up to December 23 fell three per cent compared to the same period last year, marking the first decline in online spending since comScore Inc started tracking online sales in 2001.
Online spending reached $25.5 billion between November 1 and December 23, the company said, noting this was below its expectations for flat sales on the same period a year ago.
Apple Inc and Amazon.com were among the top traffic gainers in an overall bleak period, comScore said.
Apple sites attracted 35 million visitors between December 1 and December 24, up 19 per cent from a year ago, while Amazon sites drew 76.2 million visitors over the same period, seven per cent more than a year ago. Wal-Mart also saw its website traffic rise by four per cent to a total of 51.5 million visitors.
Online auction site eBay Inc was the most visited retail site with 85.4 million visitors but its traffic declined four per cent. Electronics retailer Circuit City, which filed for bankruptcy, saw traffic fall off by 21 per cent to 15.5 million visitors.
A combination of five fewer shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas and the recession made the season particularly tough for retailers, Gian Fulgoni, comScore chairman, said in a statement.
Online spending reached $25.5 billion between November 1 and December 23, the company said, noting this was below its expectations for flat sales on the same period a year ago.
Apple Inc and Amazon.com were among the top traffic gainers in an overall bleak period, comScore said.
Apple sites attracted 35 million visitors between December 1 and December 24, up 19 per cent from a year ago, while Amazon sites drew 76.2 million visitors over the same period, seven per cent more than a year ago. Wal-Mart also saw its website traffic rise by four per cent to a total of 51.5 million visitors.
Online auction site eBay Inc was the most visited retail site with 85.4 million visitors but its traffic declined four per cent. Electronics retailer Circuit City, which filed for bankruptcy, saw traffic fall off by 21 per cent to 15.5 million visitors.
A combination of five fewer shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas and the recession made the season particularly tough for retailers, Gian Fulgoni, comScore chairman, said in a statement.