• December 8, 2008

For the holiday season through Dec. 5, $14.92 billion has been spent online, essentially the same level compared to the corresponding days last year, according to comScore.

For the five days beginning with Dec. 1 (Cyber Monday), the kick-off to the heaviest part of the online shopping season, sales totaled $3.74 billion, up 9% versus year ago.

"While this growth is certainly a positive development in this tough retail season, it also needs to be put into perspective," said comScore chairman Gian Fulgoni. "With the compressed time period between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year -- five days shorter than last year -- we need to see continued strong growth during the critical weeks between today and Christmas if this year's shopping season is to at least match that of last year." Two individual days in the past week achieved more than $800 million in online spending: Monday, Dec. 1 ("Cyber Monday") with $846 million, and Tuesday, Dec. 2 with $823 million.--Tanya Irwin