E-Commerce Report: Santa Is Packing More Sofas and Less Jewelry
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Online sales of holiday stalwarts like jewelry, watches and flowers have dropped from last yearâs levels, while sales of more practical items like furniture and appliances have climbed.
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MONTE SERENO, Calif. - For six years, Alan and Bonnie Aerts transformed their Silicon Valley home into a Christmas wonderland, complete with surfing Santa, jumbo candy canes and a carol-singing chorus of mannequins.  Visitors loved it.
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hoAs the holiday season wound down, U.S. residents kept on shopping significantly more than they did in 2006, particularly on the day after Christmas, but they also reported being less satisfied with e-tailers, according to a pair of studies.
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More consumers are planning to spend  less this holiday season than a year ago, according to a survey  released on Tuesday that adds a fresh note of caution to what  is shaping up to be a ho-hum holiday shopping season.
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Internet and mail-order sellers offer a misleading benefit.
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US consumers are expected to spend more on home-related merchandise and consumer electronics, this holiday season, while new fashions should keep clothing flying off the rack, according to a survey released on Wednesday.
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The average American consumer will spend $702.03 this holiday season, favoring DVDs over jewelry, discount chains over department stores and low prices over customer service, according to a survey sponsored by the National Retail Federation, an industry trade group.
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The gifts have been unwrapped and thank you notes are forthcoming. Stockings have been removed from fireplace mantels and tucked back into the attic. Santa has come and gone and left for a vacation in Bermuda.
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let alone come down from the sugar rush - but for the toy industry, the focus is all about Christmas. Yesterday, trade magazine Toy Wishes
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A burst of shopping in the waning hours before Christmas helped the nationâs retailers meet their modest sales goals.
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Researchers report Web shoppers are busier and happier than last year, as the holiday arrives and online sales finally slow.
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It's shaping up to be a very  merry holiday season for online retailers.
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Researchers report Web shoppers are busier and happier than last year, as the holiday approaches and online sales finally slow.
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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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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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What does it take to lure harried Christmas shoppers away from the malls and the prepackaged convenience of an already decorated plastic Christmas tree in a box?
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Consumers in the United States are already spending record amounts of money online. One e-commerce company has a novel way to help Net shoppers hunt for bargains this holiday season.