comScore Networks, a leader in measuring the digital age, today released its final report on European online holiday shopping activity in the U.K., France and Germany. According to the analysis, of the three countries studied, Germans spent the most online during the holiday period - an estimated 5.4 billion EUR from 30 October - 31 December, 2006. U.K. consumers spent an estimated 4.0 billion EUR online during the same period, and the French spent an estimated 1.9 billion EUR. This compares to an estimated 18.8 billion EUR ($24.6 billion) spent in the U.S. during the holiday shopping period (1 November to 31 December).

Germany's most active shopping week occurred two weeks before Christmas (11-17 December -- Week 7 of the holiday shopping season), when visits to secure Web pages (where purchases can be completed) were up 78 percent versus the pre-holiday shopping period from 28 August -- 29 October. The most active shopping week in both the U.K. and France was three weeks before Christmas (4-10 December -- Week 6 of the holiday shopping season), with visits to secure Web pages up 69 percent in the U.K. and 90 percent in France versus the pre-holiday shopping period.


"European online retailers appear to have done well this holiday season. High broadband penetration, familiarity with browsing and buying online, and confidence in the channel have all combined to make this a record Christmas for most online retailers in Europe -- and to highlight the increasing importance of the online channel for consumers and retailers," said Bob Ivins, managing director of comScore Europe. "Almost across the board, activity on the secure buying pages of online retail sites during the holidays rose 50 percent above the average level of activity prior to the holidays, indicating that European online retailers had a very merry Christmas."



French Holiday Review

Throughout the entire holiday period Groupe PPR, CDiscount.com, and Amazon Sites captured nearly half of all cyber shopping activity in France. Specifically, Groupe PPR captured 27 percent of cyber shopping visits in France while CDiscount.com captured 13 percent and Amazon Sites captured 8 percent. CDiscount.com, in particular, saw a remarkable increase in market share versus the pre-holiday shopping period-more than doubling its pre-holiday market share of 8 percent to 18 percent at its peak during Week 8 of the holiday shopping season and increasing 124 percent overall versus the September-October baseline period.



U.K. Holiday Review

Cyber shopping visits in the U.K. were led by Argos, which captured the highest share in the category (12 percent). Amazon Sites followed with 10 percent of all cyber-shopping visits during the holiday period, and Tesco Stores captured 6 percent. Play.com emerged as a holiday-season leader by virtue of the significant market-share increase it earned (7 percent) during Week 7 of the holiday shopping season versus its pre-holiday market share average of 4 percent, increasing 112 percent overall versus the pre-holiday period.



Germany Holiday Review

The German cyber-shopping category was led by Amazon Sites, which accounted for 16 percent of total German cyber shopping visits, followed by Otto Gruppe, which accounted for 10 percent, and O2Online.de, which captured 6 percent. Notably, Neckermann.de more than doubled its pre-holiday shopping share of 3 percent by garnering 8 percent of all cyber shopping visits during Week 6 and increasing 110 percent overall versus the pre-holiday period.