By: (AP) Europeans will spend more money online this holiday season than consumers in other regions, including North America, according to projections released Monday by a research firm.
Europeans are expected to spend $15.77 billion in the fourth quarter, with the North America region dropping to second place with $15.66 billion in sales, said GartnerG2, a research service of Gartner Inc.
Total online holiday sales are expected to rise 48.4% to $38.2 billion.
"Gains in Europe are being fueled by companies integrating their mail order and Web presence," said Gill Mander, business analyst for GartnerG2. "Europeans are using multiple channels, browsing printed catalogs, and then ordering online. We're seeing this happen more, especially in the clothing and toy merchandise industries."
The Asia-Pacific region is expected to experience modest growth for online holiday shopping. Sales are projected to reach $3.32 billion for the fourth quarter.
GartnerG2 expects a rapid increase of new Internet users, primarily in China, followed by India, but the demographics of these new users will inhibit growth in the Asia-Pacific region.
These new users are much younger on average, with the vast proportion being 15 to 25 years old, and therefore have lower incomes, according to Lane Leskela, research director of GartnerG2.
"Nonetheless, the fourth quarter is increasingly becoming a holiday shopping season in Asia-Pacific," she said. "Christmas has penetrated the local culture of many non-Christian societies as a gift-giving celebration."
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