SmallBusinessNewz

comScore released its Quarter-4 2009 U.S. retail e-commerce sales estimates yesterday. According to the fiirm's research, online retail spending reached $39 billion, a 3 percent increase from last year.

"The fourth quarter, with 3 percent year-over-year growth, helped end what has been a disappointing year for online consumer spending on a more positive note," said comScore chairman Gian Fulgoni.

"As we head into 2010, there is reason for guarded optimism for online retail spending to continue to gain share of consumers' wallets. At the same time, I expect absolute growth to be stymied by continued high unemployment and the deleveraging that is occurring in the economy as consumers exercise their new-found propensity to save."

For 2009, the final retail e-commerce spending stands at $129.8 billion, showing in the chart, previous year's totaled at $130.1 billion.

Some highlights of the report include:

- Spending growth was driven by an increase in online buyers, while average spending per buyer saw modest declines.

- Tuesday, December 15 ranked as the heaviest U.S. online spending day in history at $913 million.

- The largest online retailers, led by Amazon and Walmart, gained market share of e-commerce sales versus small and medium-sized retailers.

- Free shipping factored into more than 40 percent of e-commerce transactions during the holiday season.

As the year progresses,  small businesses may do well to ackknowledge the trends displayed in these reports.