Christmas 2009 online sales jump by $27 billion

Online retail sales during the Christmas shopping season increased by 5 percent over last year, according to a new report.

Shoppers raised their total online purchases between Nov. 1 and Dec. 24 by $27 billion, according to the report released Wednesday by ComScore.

In 2008, online sales dropped by 3 percent as the financial crisis intensified and consumer confidence plummeted.

This Christmas season saw the economy growing again, but more people were out of work in Christmas 2009 compared to a year ago. Unemployment stood at 10 percent in November; December’s figures will be released next week.

The continued tough economy is reflected in the fact that the amount spent per buyer actually decreased in 2009, ComScore said.

Comscore attributed the jump in online sales to several factors, including an effort by retailers to reach consumers through social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. They also the willingness on the part of retailers to extend free shipping increased online sales.

Finally, winter storms kept shoppers out of the malls for much of the weekend before Christmas. Some of those shoppers likely turned to Amazon.com and other online retailers.