Christmas shoppers warm to ecommerce

One in four Internet users in the US bought gifts online in 1999's run up to Christmas, according to a recent poll.

The CBS-New York Times poll reported that sales over the Internet have grown 10 per cent since this time last year, to 23 per cent.

Figures released earlier this week indicate that America Online users dominated US online shopping. Steve Case, chairman and CEO of America Online announced his customers spent $2.5bn (£1.52bn) in five weeks before Christmas - more than double what they spent during the same period during 1998.

Amazon.com was the primary destination for online shoppers with a reported 5.7 million American visitors to its site in the same five week period prior to Christmas. The figures, from Media Metrix market research firm, showed the second most popular site - with 4.1 million visitors - was the eBay auction site. Meanwhile eToys, the toy retailer, followed with 1.66 million, while Barnes&Noble and Toys R Us grabbed fourth and fifth positions.