Spending is directly linked to lifestage. Although the spending of middle-aged householders has always been above average thanks to their higher incomes, the importance of the middle-aged is greater than ever because their ranks have swelled with the large Baby-Boom generation. Boomer householders, now essentially filling the 35-to-54 age group, control more than half of the nation’s total household spending.

comScore Networks reported record results in consumer e-commerce for the third quarter of 2002. Total consumer online sales for the quarter reached $17.9 billion, up 35 percent versus the third quarter of 2001 and up two percent versus the second quarter of 2002. Year-to-date sales through Sept. 30 totaled $52.5 billion, up 41 percent versus the same period in 2001, and nearly equal to the $53.1 billion in spending posted in all of 2001.