Pursuits
U.S. Online Holiday Sales Climb 15%, Boosting Overall Share
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U.S. online sales jumped 15 percent this holiday season, spurred by “aggressive” marketing by Web-based retailers, a research firm said.
Online sales were $36.4 billion from Oct. 31 through Dec. 22, compared with $31.5 billion a year earlier, said MasterCard Advisors’ SpendingPulse, a Purchase, New York-based firm that measures retail sales by all payment forms. Online apparel sales grew the fastest, or 26 percent, while electronics were up 12 percent and department stores 11 percent.