• July 12, 2000

According to BizRate.com’s Consumer Online Report for the first quarter of 2000, online retailing sales jumped by 12% in Q1 over the prior quarter while actual orders increased 6%. BizRate.com, furthermore, is forecasting second quarter sales to grow another 25% over Q1 reaching $10.2 billion.

Sales and orders topped 1999's peak holiday-driven fourth quarter - Q4 1999 brought in $7.25 billion while this year's Q1 saw $8.15 billion. Similarly, orders jumped from 70 million in Q4 to 75 million in the Q1.

Categories showing growth above the 12% industry average included entertainment (35%), computer goods (30%), and gifts and flowers (14%). The most dramatic losers for the quarter were, not surprisingly, popular holiday categories including food and wine (-60%) and toys and hobbies (-72%).

Other findings included: - Quarter to quarter, the average purchase amount per order increased 6% from $103 to $109

- First-time merchant buyers accounted for 63% of online sales, dominating the quarter

- Average household income dropped a slight 4% from $81,200 in Q4 1999 to $78,000

- 54% of new online orders came from female buyers. For more information on who buys what, where, when and what the totals are -- see eMarketer's eCommerce: B2C Report