Released Monday, February 23, 2004 by the Retail Trade Division, Census Bureau
United States Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration

THE CENSUS BUREAU REPORTED RETAIL E-COMMERCE SALES IN FOURTH QUARTER 2003 WERE 17.2 BILLION, UP 25.1 PERCENT FROM FOURTH QUARTER 2002.

The Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced today that the estimate of U.S. retail e-commerce sales for the fourth quarter of 2003, not adjusted for seasonal, holiday, and trading-day differences, was $17.2 billion, an increase of 25.1 percent (±4.2%) from the fourth quarter of 2002. Total retail sales for the fourth quarter of 2003 were estimated at $918.2 billion, an increase of 6.2 percent (±0.4%) from the same period a year ago.

The fourth quarter 2003 e-commerce estimate increased 29.7 percent (±2.1%) from the third quarter of 2003 while total retail sales increased 5.2 percent (±0.3%) from the prior quarter.

E-commerce sales in the fourth quarter of 2003 accounted for 1.9 percent of total sales, while in the fourth quarter of 2002 e-commerce sales were 1.6 percent of total sales. In the third quarter of 2003 e-commerce sales were 1.5 percent of total sales.

Total e-commerce sales for 2003 were estimated at $54.9 billion, an increase of 26.3 percent (±3.9%) from 2002. Total retail sales in 2003 increased 5.4 percent (±0.2%) from 2002. E-commerce sales in 2003 accounted for 1.6 percent of total sales. E-commerce sales in 2002 accounted for 1.3 percent of total sales.

Estimated Quarterly U.S. Retail E-commerce Sales:

4th Quarter 1999 - 4th Quarter 2003

(Data in billions of dollars, not adjusted for seasonal, holiday and trading-day differences, or price changes.)

The retail e-commerce sales estimate for the first quarter of 2004 is scheduled for release in May 21 2004 at 10:00 A.M. ET.