Online spending in 2004 reached $117 bln

Consumers spent a record $117 bln online in 2004, with many of them preferring to shop with retailers that had Internet and brick-and-mortar stores. Online consumer retail spending grew by 26% over the $93.2 bln spent in 2003, ComScore Networks said. During the holiday shopping season alone, which includes November and December 2004, consumers spent $23.6 bln, a 28% increase over the $18.3 bln spent during the same period in 2003.