• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, October 21, 2001

ComScore Networks released the results of its latest report of e-commerce activity since the September 11th terrorist attacks, indicating an apparent but gradual improvement in total online sales following a severe initial decline. From Tuesday September 11th through Sunday September 16, total consumer e-commerce spending fell 25% vs. levels seen prior to the attacks. These initial declines were sustained through the following week, and were driven primarily by a sharp drop of over 40% in online purchasing of Travel services. Online purchasing of non-travel goods and services declined by 25% during the week of the attacks, before eventually recovering to levels slightly below pre-attack periods.

Dan Hess, comScore Networks Vice President of Marketing Communications, says "We’re encouraged by what appears to be a gradual return to normal levels in most product categories. This is particularly important in Travel, which was severely affected by the terrorist attacks, and where we see consumers beginning to book more trips online both for business and leisure purposes."

In addition, comScore's September netScore report, provided the first fully global analysis of Web-wide activity since the September attacks. Certain U.S. News and Information sites drew a surge of activity from users outside of the country, while overseas sites – particularly in the United Kingdom – attracted large numbers of U.S. visitors.

U.S. Internet users flocked to overseas sites, both during the week of the attacks, but also through the end of the month. By the last week of September, 51% of visitors to U.K. news site telegraph.co.uk and 60% of those at thetimes.co.uk came from the United States, up from August totals of 24% and 40% respectively.

Table 1: netScore Internet Traffic Measurement by Location

  +-----------+-------------+------------+  |
|   September |  % Change  |  |           | 2001 Unique |  August -  |  |           |    Visitors | September  |  |           |      (x000) |            |  +-----------+-------------+------------+  |
Worldwide |     301,259 |    1.2%    |  | Non-US    |     169,628 |    0.6%    |  | US Total  |     131,631 |    2.0%    |  | Home      |      64,411 |   -1.1%    |  | Work      |      57,192 |
2.5%    |  | College   |      10,028 |   23.8%    |  +-----------+-------------+------------+  

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