• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer, February 20, 2006

An analysis of consumer behavior by comScore Networks related to Valentine's Day found that that total online spending in the Flowers & Gifts, Health & Beauty and Jewelry & Watches categories rose 22 percent year-to-date, through February 9, 2006 versus the corresponding period in 2005, while Personals and Dating went up 29%.

On an individual category basis, online sales in the Health & Beauty and Jewelry & Watches category each rose 24 percent compared to the same period in 2005 as Americans purchased gifts to celebrate with loved ones.    

Separately, comScore found that online consumer spending on paid content in the Personals & Dating category rose 29 percent in 2005 to $351.9 million, versus the $272.1 million spent in the category in 2004.  An analysis of December 2005 visitation to the Personals category revealed:

• Cross-visitation is high in the Personals category with 39 percent of category visitors having visited more than one site during the month
• Ten percent of new registrants at Personals sites registered at more than one site during the month
• Among active registrants, 30 percent were registered users of more than one Personals site
• Active registrants are looking for love online while at work - 37 percent of active registrants visited Personals from a work location

 In January, more than 29 million Americans visited sites in the Flowers, Gifts & Greetings category, a number that is sure to rise in February. Leaders in the category include American Greetings, with nearly 9 million unique visitors and Hallmark with nearly 7 million unique visitors.

To view the complete report from this survey, please visit here.