ComScore, Inc., a global leader in measuring the digital world, calculated e-commerce spending for the November - December 2007 holiday season to be 18 per cent greater than last year for the same season. Monday, December 10, also known as “Green Monday,” was recorded as the heaviest online spending day of the season.

There was a 33% increase in spending on December 10 in 2006 when compared to the same day in 2007. The least amount of spending occurred from the first of November to the fourteenth of December, resulting in an 18% increase in spending when compared to 2006. Last year the spending growth rate was 26%.The reason for the fall this year to 18% was found to be the slower growth in spending among lower income households. The online spending growth of households making less than 50,000 dollars in annual income was only 10% this year. Households earning more than 100,000 dollars have increased their spending by 28% versus last year.

Mr.Gian Fulgoni, the comScore chairman, gave his interpretation behind the slow growth in consumer spending. He declared that it was due to the sub-prime housing meltdown, decline in home values, higher gas prices, and an uncertain stock market. He concluded that consumers of the lower income bracket are less confident about spending at the same rate as in the past.

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