NIELSEN//NETRATINGS
REVEALS ONLINE SHOPPING JUMPS
21.8% THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS
Traffic to Hallmark
and 1-800-Flowers Peaked Right Before December 25
NEW YORK – December 30, 1999
– Nielsen//NetRatings, the Internet measurement service of
Nielsen Media Research and NetRatings, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTRT), today
announced that Internet traffic on the day after Christmas rose
21.8 percent (see Table 1). Beginning Dec.
26, traffic online paralleled brick-and-mortar stores as shoppers
rushed to commerce sites in search of post-Christmas specials.
According to the Nielsen//NetRatings
Holiday E-Commerce Index, Hallmark and 1-800-Flowers spiked in traffic
during the week ending December 26, suggesting many procrastinators
sought electronic greeting cards and floral arrangements as last-minute
gifts. Hallmark posted a weekly high of 496,000 visitors while 1-800-Flowers
had approximately 252,000 visitors rush to its site.
Table
1. Nielsen//NetRatings Holiday E-Commerce Index
Daily Traffic for Dec. 12, Dec.
19-28
| Date |
Unique Audience
(in millions)
|
Daily Percent
Change from Previous Day
|
|
12-Dec
|
4.89
|
--
|
|
19-Dec
|
4.29
|
--
|
|
20-Dec
|
3.92
|
-8.6%
|
|
21-Dec
|
3.89
|
-0.8%
|
|
22-Dec
|
3.52
|
-9.5%
|
|
23-Dec
|
3.30
|
-6.3%
|
|
24-Dec
|
3.04
|
-7.9%
|
|
25-Dec
|
2.66
|
-12.5%
|
|
26-Dec
|
3.24
|
21.8%
|
|
27-Dec
|
3.70
|
14.2%
|
|
28-Dec
|
3.89
|
5.1%
|
|
29-Dec
|
3.88
|
-0.2%
|
Source: Nielsen//NetRatings Overnight
Analysis, December 1999
Traffic dropped progressively in
the days leading up to Dec. 25, with Christmas Day showing the lowest
point of shopping activity on the Internet. December 12 marked the
busiest day online during the holiday season.
The e-commerce world did its best
to mimic the offline world to lure surfers and bargain hunters.
Post-holiday sales were widespread and well-publicized on sites.
Prices for Christmas decorations were cut by at least half.
"Wish lists created throughout
the holiday season made post-Christmas purchases easier for those
who knew exactly what they wanted. One could simply go to the wish
list he or she created in October, and with a few clicks, the item
is on its way," said Allen Weiner, vice president of analytical
services at NetRatings, Inc.
Nielsen//NetRatings Holiday E-Commerce
Index
The Nielsen//NetRatings
Holiday E-Commerce Index showed a drop of 13.4 percent for the week
leading up to Christmas Day
(see Table 2).
According to the index, software was the only category that increased
in traffic this past week. Categories showing the greatest decline
in traffic were toys (-42.9%), comparison sites (-35.2%) and electronics
(-35.0%).
Software
With Y2K approaching, the computer
hardware category suffered, but software has rallied.
"The likely reasoning here is
that computer owners are buying software that allows them to ward
off ‘new Millennium’ viruses as well as save or backup
files on home computers," said Weiner. "Once Y2K fears
die down, the computer hardware category should perk up."
Table
2. Nielsen//NetRatings Holiday E-Commerce Index
Percent Change in Unique Audience
as Compared to the Prior Week
| Category |
% Change
for Week Ending Dec. 19
|
% Change
for Week Ending Dec. 26
|
| TOYS |
-14.0%
|
-42.9%
|
| COMPARISON |
4.0%
|
-35.2%
|
| ELECTRONICS |
0.1%
|
-35.0%
|
| APPAREL |
-8.5%
|
-27.6%
|
| MALLS |
-12.2%
|
-27.2%
|
| GIFTS |
-20.9%
|
-25.0%
|
| BOOKS/MUSIC/VIDEO |
-3.4%
|
-21.2%
|
| COMPUTER
HARDWARE |
9.1%
|
-15.0%
|
| AUCTIONS |
1.3%
|
-6.8%
|
| SOFTWARE |
-4.4%
|
13.6%
|
| TOTAL |
-3.8%
|
-13.4%
|
Note: This index is comprised
of five representative sites for each category, and acts as a barometer
for
gauging the level of interest at commerce sites during the holiday
season.
Source: Nielsen//NetRatings, December
1999
About Nielsen//NetRatings
Nielsen//NetRatings, the audience
measurement service from Nielsen Media Research and NetRatings,
Inc., collects data from more than 38,000 panelists as they use
the Internet at home. The Nielsen//NetRatings panel is the largest
media research sample of at-home Internet users currently under
measurement. Nielsen//NetRatings uses unique technology capable
of measuring both Internet use and advertising to provide the most
timely, accurate and comprehensive Internet usage data and advertising
information in the industry.
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