U.S. e-commerce sales totaled $225.5 billion last year, up 15.8% from $194.7 billion in 2011, according to an estimate released by the U.S. Commerce Department. That means 5.2% of total retail spending took place online during 2012, up from 4.7% in 2011.
On a non-adjusted basis, when excluding sales in categories not commonly bought online, such as automobiles, fuel and food service sales, e-commerce accounted for 7.6% of total retail sales during the year, up from 6.8% a year earlier, according to figures from Internet Retailer.
E-commerce sales for the fourth quarter totaled $71.6 billion on a non-adjusted basis, up 15.8% year over year. Total retail sales increased 4.% in Q4 to reach $1.2 trillion.
The Commerce Department figures are higher than those released earlier this month by comScore, which says online shoppers in the United States spent $186.2 billion in 2012, up 15% from 2011. According to comScore, fourth quarter increased 14% year over year to reach approximately $56.78 billion.
For 2013, comScore forecasts e-commerce spending will grow in the mid- to- high-teens, percentage wise.
