E-tailers enjoyed a bumper 2002

Ecommerce in the US during 2002 blew away all previous records with a 40 per cent leap over 2001 levels, and it's likely to be a pattern mirrored this side of the Atlantic as results start rolling in after the bumper Christmas sales period.

Online consumer sales in the US leaped to about $74bn in 2002, according to research firm ComScore Networks.

ComScore said in a statement "This is particularly impressive considering the fragile economy and one of the worst holiday retail seasons in recent memory."

The holiday season may have disappointed retailers generally, but online shops did well, according to ComScore and others.

The survey counts online purchases by US consumers connecting from home or work, regardless of whether the seller was located in the US.

Other findings revealed that privacy remains a stumbling block for ecommerce as a whole, with 38 per cent of the panel describing themselves as "uncomfortable" giving out credit card information online. Roughly the same percentage said they worried about the security of online financial transactions, and 40 per cent expressed concern over online privacy in general.

Paul Festa writes for News.com