Holiday Online Shopping Trends Emerge
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A surprising amount of shoppers are willing to buy from spammers, study finds.
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More people are finding unusual ways to enjoy their holidays without shopping themselves into a stupor.
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The Sloan Center for Internet Retailing is turning to a new approach to make its annual forecast for online holiday sales: ask everybody.
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Spending by Americans shopping  online during this year's holiday season rose 24 percent from a  year earlier to $8.8 billion, with sharp gains in purchases of  clothing and entertainment, Web company VeriSign Inc. VRSN.O  said on Thursday.
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U.S. holiday shoppers continue to turn to the Internet when searching for presents for family and friends, according to data released Thursday by VeriSign.
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(InfoWorld) - Santa Claus may take online orders this year, but the Grinches will also be on the Internet. Holiday shopping online is expected toÂ reach new peaksÂ this year, and with the surge comes concern over the safety of transactions, according to technology services company EDS and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), both of which have issued guidelines for Web shoppers. U.S. shoppers are expected to buy about 25 percent of their holiday goods online this year, with a typical shopper spending nearly $800, according to the National Retail Federation. But various vendors and consumer groups have issued warnings for online shoppers because a likelihood of fraud accompanies the increase of buying online. Internet-related fraud cost an estimated $340 million last year, the FTC said. EDS and the FTC cautioned that online shoppers should: -- Know your retailer. Stick with reputable businesses with contact numbers and physical addresses. Some Web sites display seals that vouch for their security, but these can also be faked. -- Use secure Web sites. Sites that use encryption to protect data should display "https://" rather than "http://" in the address bar. Secure sites should also display a padlock symbol to show that the Web site has a secure, encrypted connection. EDS advises against sending a retailer more information than they need to complete a purchase. -- Be aware of phishing e-mail. Most people have received fraudulent e-mail asking for personal information. Never send information and never click on links in such e-mails, which are likely to be directed to look-alike Web sites designed to harvest identity and financial details. It's safe to type a Web site address into a browser. Reputable businesses do not ask for information through e-mails. -- Review privacy and security policies. Most companies will tell you what information they collect and how they use it. Also, foreign Web sites may be bound by different laws for how they can handle your personal information. -- Use antivirus and firewall software. -- Check your credit report and credit card balances regularly. The FTC Web site has a page devoted to holiday shopping tips, including those for online shoppers. Â
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The volume of junk e-mail is spiking--just as consumers gear up for holiday shopping.
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Online merchants are poised to record a much bigger rise in holiday sales than their offline counterparts. Broadband expansion, more luxury gift sales and a rise in late shoppers help the bottom line. By Joanna Glasner.
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Online auction house eBay goes the traditional route for the holidays.
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Millions of British consumers are expected to spend Christmas Day shopping online for bargains.
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Spending by Americans shopping online  during this year's holiday season rose 24 percent to $8.8  billion, with sharp gains in purchases of clothing and  entertainment, Web company VeriSign Inc. said on Thursday.
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Online shoppers in the United States spent &#36;23.2 billion during the holidays, excluding travel, up 25 percent from the 2003 season, according to a new survey from Goldman, Sachs & Co., Harris Interactive and Nielsen/NetRatings.
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InfoWorld - U.S. buyers shopped aggressively online on Monday and Tuesday of this week, spending significantly more than they did on the comparable days last year, according to comScore.
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JupiterResearch predicted on Monday that a record number of US shoppers will make purchases via the Internet this year-end holiday season, spending more than 39 billion dollars online.
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Spending by Americans shopping online  during this year's holiday season rose 24 percent to $8.8  billion, with sharp gains in purchases of clothing and  entertainment, Web company VeriSign Inc. VRSN.O said on  Thursday.
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Travel: Gear up for a Christmas spending spree with a spot of online window shopping.
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Bargain hunters tracking down  sought-after toys and electronics flocked to the Web ahead of  "Cyber Monday," the unofficial start of the online holiday  shopping season, three Internet sites said on Saturday.