Amazon announced on Thursday that the 2011 holiday season was the best ever for sales of its Kindle devices. While the online retailer didn’t specifically say just how many devices were sold by model, it did say Amazon customers purchased “millions of Kindle Fires and millions of Kindle eReaders” and more than 1 million devices per week during the month of December. The company also noted that its #1 and #4 best-selling eBooks released this year were published by independent authors through its Kindle Direct Publishing platform. “We are grateful to our customers worldwide for making this the best holiday ever for Kindle,” Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos said.  “And in a huge milestone for independent publishing, we’d also like to congratulate Darcie Chan, the author of ‘The Mill River Recluse,’ and Chris Culver, the author of ‘The Abbey,’ for writing two of the best-selling Kindle books of the year.” The Kindle Fire was the most popular device followed by the Kindle Touch and the Kindle. Amazon also said that gifting of Kindle eBooks jumped 175%, between Black Friday and Christmas Day, compared to last year. Amazon’s full press release follows after the break.

2011 IS THE BEST HOLIDAY EVER FOR KINDLE

Amazon customers purchased millions of Kindle Fires and millions of Kindle e-readers

#1 and #4 best-selling Kindle books released in 2011 published independently by authors using Kindle Direct Publishing

Businesses selling on Amazon have record-breaking holiday sales

SEATTLE, Dec. 29, 2011 – (NASDAQ: AMZN) – Amazon.com, Inc. today announced that 2011 was the best holiday ever for the Kindle family as customers purchased millions of Kindle Fires and millions of Kindle e-readers.  Authors also continue to benefit from the success of Kindle — the #1 and #4 best-selling Kindle books released in 2011 were both published independently by their authors using Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP).

“We are grateful to our customers worldwide for making this the best holiday ever for Kindle,” said Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com founder and CEO.  “And in a huge milestone for independent publishing, we’d also like to congratulate Darcie Chan, the author of ‘The Mill River Recluse,’ and Chris Culver, the author of ‘The Abbey,’ for writing two of the best-selling Kindle books of the year.”

More Kindle holiday facts:

·         Throughout December, customers purchased well over 1 million Kindle devices per week.

·         The new Kindle family held the top three spots on the Amazon.com best seller charts – #1: Kindle Fire, #2: Kindle Touch, #3: Kindle.

·         Kindle Fire is the #1 best-selling, most gifted, and most wished for product across the millions of items available on Amazon.com since its introduction 13 weeks ago.

·         Kindle is also the best-selling product on Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.es and Amazon.it this holiday season.

·         Gifting of Kindle books was up 175 percent between this Black Friday and Christmas Day compared to the same period in 2010.

·         Christmas Day was the biggest day ever for Kindle book downloads.

·         Kindle Fire is the best-selling product on Amazon.com’s mobile website and across all of Amazon.com’s mobile applications.

Additional Kindle Direct Publishing successes include:

·         December’s #1 best-selling Kindle Direct Publishing book “Wife by Wednesday” was also the #5 overall best-selling Kindle book in December and has appeared on both the USA Today and Wall Street Journal best seller lists. Author Catherine Bybee was formerly an emergency room registered nurse, and has now left her job to focus on writing full-time.

• In 2011, KDP and CreateSpace author CJ Lyons reached #2 on the Amazon best seller list, #2 on the New York Times best seller list, and #4 on the USA Today best seller list. As a former pediatric ER doctor, CJ has lived the life she writes about in her cutting edge suspense novels, and she quit her job in medicine after 17 years to pursue her dream of becoming a full-time novelist.  Her latest work includes “Face to Face” and “Hot Water.”

Businesses Selling on Amazon

2011 was also a record-breaking holiday season for businesses that sell on Amazon.  Third-party sellers experienced record holiday growth: the number of sellers who exceeded $5,000 in sales during the holiday season increased 44 percent year-over-year.  For the year, businesses on Amazon sold hundreds of millions of units worth billions of dollars worldwide.

Scharf Industries, an office supplies and electronics provider, increased its sales on Amazon by over 500 percent this holiday season compared with last holiday season.

“We greatly value the cooperation that we have developed with Amazon,” said Andrew D. Scharf, CMO of Scharf Industries.  “They have provided us with the tools necessary to grow our business in a rapid and efficient manner.”

Ken Reiss, the owner of Reiss Innovations, LLC, started with one Amazon Webstore, selling five to 10 mouse pads for the year. Six years later he has a successful eCommerce business, selling through multiple Amazon Webstores.  Just this year alone, Reiss saw a 21 percent increase in sales compared with the holiday season last year. He has also increased the number of product listings by 50 percent over 2010 and recently extended his business to Canada.

According to Reiss, one of the most beneficial aspects of his relationship with Amazon is that “It allows me to scale in efficiency. I can devote my time to building vendor relations and growing my inventory, rather than worrying about logistical aspects, such as shipping products.” Reiss currently stores 90 percent of his inventory in Amazon’s warehouses, up from 75 percent last year.

Other seller successes include:

·         Amazon’s third-party sellers sold enough cameras for every fan at the next 10 Super Bowls to snap their own shots of the winning touchdown.

·         Amazon’s third-party sellers sold enough toys in 2011 to give a toy to every resident of Chicago.  In fact, they sold as many Lalaloopsy Dolls as there are lights on the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree in New York City.

·         Debra Keyes, CEO of The Internet Department Store, which sells costumes for both adults and children, began utilizing Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) – the Amazon service that stores, packs and ships orders for third-party sellers – as soon as it launched.  By January 2011, she had 1,300 products listed in FBA.  That number has now grown to 7,800 products by November 2011. During that same time period, the company’s sales increased by 34 percent.

Holiday Fun Facts

 Shipping:

• The last One-Day Prime order that was delivered in time for Christmas was placed on Dec. 22 at 11:59 p.m. PST and shipped to Ballwin, Mo. The item was “The Cook’s Herb Garden,” a book by Jeff Cox and Marie-Pierre Moine.
• The last Local Express Delivery order that was delivered in time for Christmas went to Seattle, Wash. It was a Sony Rechargeable Battery Pack that was ordered at 2:35 p.m. PST on Christmas Eve and delivered at 6:15 p.m. PST that same evening.

• Earlier this year, an Amazon customer called with an urgent request for large volume of a single book, which they needed at the airport the next day before they boarded a flight. The books were special gifts and no other retailer had them available in such short notice.  Even though the cutoff time had passed for all traditional delivery methods, Amazon was able to arrange a delivery to the customer’s hotel just prior to their departure for the airport.

Customer Purchases (Amazon.com only; holiday timeframe-specific):

·         Amazon customers purchased enough copies of Walter Isaacson’s “Steve Jobs” book to create a stack taller than Mt. Everest.

·         The cumulative weight of the Bowflex 552 Adjustable Dumbbells purchased by Amazon customers would outweigh more than 70 adult elephants.

·         If you unfolded and stacked each pair of jeans purchased by Amazon customers this holiday, the height would be 2,500 times taller than the Statue of Liberty.

·         Amazon customers purchased enough sweaters to outfit each of Santa’s reindeer during Christmas Eve deliveries for the next 14,000 years.

·         Amazon customers purchased enough copies of Just Dance 3 to give 15 copies to each person who participated in setting the world record for simultaneous dancing.

·         Amazon customers purchased enough HeatMax HotHands Handwarmers to give a pair to each resident of Iceland.

·         Amazon customers purchased enough Rory’s Story Cubes to give a cube to each person watching the New Year’s Eve ball drop live at Times Square.

Holiday Best Sellers (Amazon.com only; based on units ordered):

• Electronics: Kindle Fire; Kindle Touch; and Kindle
• Toys: Rory’s Story Cubes; Qwirkle Board Game; and Perplexus Maze Game

·         Video Games: Just Dance 3; Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3; and Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

• Sports & Outdoors: Zumba Fitness Total Body Transformation DVD Set; Emergency Fire Starter; and Flexible Flyer Snowball Maker
• Home & Kitchen: Cuisinart 5-in-1 Griddler; Fred M-Cups Measuring Matroyshkas; and Pure Komachi 2 Series Hollow-Ground Santoku Knife
• Books: “Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson; “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever” by Jeff Kinney; and “11/22/63” by Stephen King
• Kindle Books: “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins; “Catching Fire” by Suzanne Collins; and “The Litigators” by John Grisham
• CD: “Christmas” by Michael Bublé; “21” by Adele; and “Duets II” by Tony Bennett
• Amazon MP3: “100 Classic Christmas Songs” by Various Artists; “Mylo Xyloto” by Coldplay; and “A Very She & Him Christmas” by She & Him
• DVD: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2”; “Bridesmaids”; and “The Help”
• Amazon Instant Video: “Super 8”; “The Help”; and “Crazy, Stupid, Love”
• Watches: Timex 1440 Sports Digital Resin Strap Watch; LEGO Kids’ Star Wars Darth Vader Mini-Figure Alarm Clock; and XOXO Rhinestone Accent Gold-Tone Bracelet Watch
• Jewelry: 10k White Gold Round Diamond Stud Earrings; Sterling Silver Amethyst Butterfly Pendant; and White Peacock and Pink Freshwater Cultured Pearl Button 3 Pair Stud Earrings Set
• Clothing: Levi’s 501 Jean; Levi’s 505 Straight Fit Jean; and Levi’s 550 Relaxed Fit Jean
• Shoes: UGG Australia Classic Tall Boots; Crocs Classic Clog; and BEARPAW Emma Short Boot
• Beauty: Wonderstruck by Taylor Swift Eau de Parfum Spray; Olay Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System; and NARS Orgasm Blush
• Health & Personal Care: Philips Norelco SensoTouch Electric Shaver; Philips Norelco Shaving System; and Philips Sonicare Essence Power Toothbrush
• Tools & Home Improvement: Streamlight Nano Light Miniature Keychain LED Flashlight; Smith’s PP1 Pocket Pal Multifunction Sharpener; and Black & Decker All-In-One SureGrip Laser Level
• Automotive: Battery Tender Junior 12V Battery Charger; Wagan 12-Volt Heated Seat Cushion; and Mystic Industries Reindeer Vehicle Costume
• Baby: Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes; Vulli Sophie the Giraffe Teether; and Cloud B Twilight Turtle Constellation Night Light

·         AmazonWireless: Motorola DROID RAZR 4G Android Phone (Verizon Wireless); Samsung Galaxy S II Epic Touch 4G Android Phone (Sprint); and Samsung Galaxy S II 4G Android Phone (AT&T)

• Amazon Appstore for Android: Angry Birds (Ad-Free); TETRIS; and Pandora Internet Radio

The week ended December 18th was the heaviest week for online holiday shopping ever, with shoppers spending more than $6.3 billion, up 15% from the same period last year. Consumers have already spent about $31.9 billion this holiday season according to comScore, which published new figures on Tuesday. “With only a few more days until Christmas, the preponderance of Americans’ late season holiday shopping will shift to brick-and-mortar retail, although the procrastinators among us will still be able to take advantage of expedited shipping and buy online up to and including the day before Christmas Eve with the guarantee of having their gifts delivered in time for the holiday,” said comScore chairman Gian Fulgoni, noting that there were four days last week during which consumers spent more than $1 billion. “In total, we will see another $5 or $6 billion in e-commerce spending over the remainder of December to finish off what has clearly been an outstanding season for online retailers.” November 28th, Cyber Monday, will go down as the heaviest online spending day this holiday season, and in history, with more than $1.251 billion spent. ComScore’s full press release follows after the break.

Heaviest Week in U.S. Online Holiday Shopping History Pushes Season-to-Date Total to $32 Billion, Up 15 Percent vs. Year Ago
Spending Approaches 2010 Holiday Season Total of $32.6 Billion with Nearly Two Weeks Remaining in 2011 Season

RESTON, VA, December 20, 2011 – comScore (NASDAQ : SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today reported holiday season retail e-commerce spending for the first 48 days of the November – December 2011 holiday season. For the holiday season-to-date, nearly $32 billion has been spent online, marking a 15-percent increase versus the corresponding days last year. The most recent week (week ending Dec. 18), led by four individual days surpassing $1 billion in sales, reached an all-time record of $6.3 billion in online retail spending, up 14 percent from the corresponding week last year. The final shopping weekend before Christmas reached $1.04 billion to rank as the second heaviest weekend of online spending on record.

2011 Holiday Season To Date vs. Corresponding Days* in 2010 Non-Travel (Retail) Spending Excludes Auctions and Large Corporate Purchases Total U.S. – Home & Work Locations Source: comScore, Inc.
	Millions ($)
	2010	2011	Percent Change
November 1 – December 18	$27,814	$31,973	15%
Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 24)	$407	$479	18%
Black Friday (Nov. 25)	$648	$816	26%
Thanksgiving Weekend (Nov. 26-27)	$886	$1,031	16%
Cyber Monday (Nov. 28)	$1,028	$1,251	22%
Green Monday (Dec. 12)	$954	$1,133	19%
Free Shipping Day (Dec. 16)	$942	$1,072	14%
Week Ending Dec. 18	$5,499	$6,286	14%

*Corresponding days based on corresponding shopping days (November 2 thru December 19, 2010)

“The final big week of online holiday shopping remained strong throughout, with four days surpassing $1 billion in sales and the second heaviest online shopping weekend on record,” said comScore chairman Gian Fulgoni. “With only a few more days until Christmas, the preponderance of Americans’ late season holiday shopping will shift to brick-and-mortar retail, although the procrastinators among us will still be able to take advantage of expedited shipping and buy online up to and including the day before Christmas Eve with the guarantee of having their gifts delivered in time for the holiday. In total, we will see another $5 or $6 billion in e-commerce spending over the remainder of December to finish off what has clearly been an outstanding season for online retailers.”

Ten Online Spending Days Top $1 Billion this Holiday Season

For the 2011 holiday season-to-date, ten individual days have surpassed $1 billion in online retail sales. Cyber Monday (Nov. 28) currently ranks as the heaviest online spending day of the season – and in history – at $1.251 billion. Monday, December 5 ranks second at $1.178 billion, followed by Green Monday (Dec. 12) in third with $1.133 billion. Free Shipping Day (Friday, Dec. 16) ranks sixth at $1.072 billion.

Billion Dollar Spending Days for 2011 Holiday Season Non-Travel (Retail) Spending Excludes Auctions and Large Corporate Purchases Total U.S. – Home & Work Locations Source: comScore, Inc.
Rank	Date	Spending in Millions ($)
1	Monday, Nov. 28 (Cyber Monday)	$1,251
2	Monday, Dec. 5	$1,178
3	Monday, Dec. 12 (Green Monday)	$1,133
4	Tuesday, Nov. 29	$1,116
5	Tuesday, Dec. 6	$1,107
6	Friday, Dec. 16 (Free Shipping Day)	$1,072
7	Tuesday, Dec. 13	$1,064
8	Wednesday, Nov. 30	$1,025
9	Thursday, Dec. 8	$1,024
10	Thursday, Dec. 15	$1,018

This past Friday will go down in the record books as another heavy spending day this holiday season. Consumers spent a total of $1.07 billion on December 16th, otherwise known as “Free Shipping Day,” which was more than consumers spent during the entirety of the Thanksgiving weekend ($1.03 billion) and 14% more than consumers spent on the same day in 2010. Shoppers spent the most money on Cyber Monday so far this holiday season ($1.25 billion) followed by Green Monday ($1.13 billion) and Free Shipping Day.

“More than $1 billion in spending on Free Shipping Day put the exclamation point on what will almost certainly be the heaviest week of the online holiday shopping season,” comScore chairman Gian Fulgoni said. “Four individual days surpassed $1 billion in spending this week, with Green Monday leading the way at $1.13 billion. While next week may see another strong day or two at the beginning of the week, it’s clear that we have now reached the crescendo for this season and that spending will begin to slow as we get closer to Christmas, leaving Cyber Monday as the top ranked shopping day for the second year in a row.” ComScore’s press release follows below.

Free Shipping Day Punctuates Heavy Week of Online Holiday Shopping as Four Individual Days Eclipse $1 Billion in Spending and Season-to-Date Exceeds $30 Billion

Cyber Monday on Pace to be Heaviest Day of the Online Shopping Season for Second Consecutive Year

RESTON, VA, December 18, 2011 – comScore (NASDAQ : SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today reported holiday season retail e-commerce spending for the first 46 days of the November – December 2011 holiday season. For the holiday season-to-date, $30.9 billion has been spent online, marking a 15-percent increase versus the corresponding days last year. The most recent work week (Dec. 12-16) saw four individual days surpass $1 billion in spending, led by Green Monday (Monday, December 12) with $1.13 billion and Free Shipping Day (Friday, December 16) with $1.07 billion. With the heaviest portion of the season behind us, Cyber Monday appears likely to rank as the heaviest online spending day of the year for the second consecutive season.

2011 Holiday Season To Date vs. Corresponding Days* in 2010 Non-Travel (Retail) Spending Excludes Auctions and Large Corporate Purchases Total U.S. – Home & Work Locations Source: comScore, Inc.
	Millions ($)
	2010	2011	Percent Change
November 1 – December 16	$26,914	$30,937	15%
Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 24)	$407	$479	18%
Black Friday (Nov. 25)	$648	$816	26%
Thanksgiving Weekend (Nov. 26-27)	$886	$1,031	16%
Cyber Monday (Nov. 28)	$1,028	$1,251	22%
Green Monday (Dec. 12)	$954	$1,133	19%
Free Shipping Day (Dec. 16)	$942	$1,072	14%
Week Ending Dec. 16	$5,508	$6,315	15%

*Corresponding days based on corresponding shopping days (November 2 thru December 17, 2010)

“More than $1 billion in spending on Free Shipping Day put the exclamation point on what will almost certainly be the heaviest week of the online holiday shopping season,” said comScore chairman Gian Fulgoni. “Four individual days surpassed $1 billion in spending this week, with Green Monday leading the way at $1.13 billion. While next week may see another strong day or two at the beginning of the week, it’s clear that we have now reached the crescendo for this season and that spending will begin to slow as we get closer to Christmas, leaving Cyber Monday as the top ranked shopping day for the second year in a row.”

Have Holiday Promotions Been Frontloaded this Year?

Further analysis of retail e-commerce spending trends suggests that holiday deals, such as discounts and free shipping, may have been frontloaded during the earlier portion of the season. We analyzed the year-over-year growth rates for the Mondays and Fridays, which represent the majority of the key promotional days for the season, between Thanksgiving and Free Shipping Day. The results showed significantly higher growth rates during the days nearer to Thanksgiving, with growth rates in the mid-20s, and more modest growth rates in the teens in the middle part of December.

Analysis of 2011 Friday and Monday Spending Patterns between Thanksgiving and Free Shipping Day Non-Travel (Retail) Spending Excludes Auctions and Large Corporate Purchases Total U.S. – Home & Work Locations Source: comScore, Inc.
Friday	Spending (Millions)	Y/Y % Chg	Monday	Spending (Millions)	Y/Y % Chg
Nov. 25	$815	26%	Nov. 28	$1,251	27%
Dec. 2	$788	27%	Dec. 5	$1,178	25%
Dec. 9	$917	15%	Dec. 12	$1,132	19%
Dec. 16	$1,072	14%

Free Shipping Rates Rebound during Final Online Sales Push

comScore’s analysis of e-commerce transactions including free shipping indicated that following a decline in the second week of December, free shipping rebounded during this most recent week, which concluded with Free Shipping Day. Each week of the online holiday season-to-date has seen free shipping occur on at least half of all transactions. For the five-day week ending with Free Shipping Day, the percentage of transactions with free shipping reached 56 percent, nearly 4 percentage points higher than the corresponding time period last year.

Weekly Holiday Free Shipping Analysis Non-Travel (Retail) Spending Excludes Auctions and Large Corporate Purchases Total U.S. – Home & Work Locations Source: comScore, Inc.
Week Ending	Percent of Transactions with Free Shipping
	2010*	2011	Point Change
11/6/2011	41.8%	52.2%	+10.4
11/13/2011	44.7%	51.2%	+6.5
11/20/2011	50.2%	56.0%	+5.8
11/27/2011	55.0%	64.4%	+9.4
12/4/2011	51.7%	59.4%	+7.7
12/11/2011	51.7%	53.0%	+1.3
12/18/2011**	52.2%	56.0%	+3.8

*Weeks based on corresponding shopping days for 2010
**2011 data based on five-day week (Dec. 12-16)

“Free shipping is undoubtedly one of the most important incentives for consumers and has become a key driver of online buying activity over the past few years,” added Mr. Fulgoni. “This season has seen a continuation of the trend where an increasing percentage of transactions involve free shipping, as more consumers demand it and more retailers provide it. During the week of Thanksgiving and Cyber Week we saw at least 3 in 5 transactions use free shipping, significantly higher rates than we’ve ever previously observed.”

Flying home for the holidays and navigating through crowded airports — or facing flight delays, as is often the case — may be a hair less dreadful this year. Skype announced recently that it is sponsoring free Wi-Fi in more than 60 U.S. airports from December 21st until December 27th. To activate the service, simply follow these directions:

1. Sign in to Skype.
2. Go to Tools > Options… > Skype WiFi Access.
3. Tick Enable Skype WiFi Access.
4. Connect to a WiFi public hotspot.
5. In the Skype menu bar, click Tools > Skype WiFi Access.
6. Follow the instructions on the screen to select and join a compatible public WiFi network.

Skype’s full press release, which includes a list of every airport where free Wi-Fi will be available, follows after the break.

Make Meaningful Connections on the Go this Holiday Season with Skype

Skype Offers free WiFi to Travelers in over 60 U.S. Airports December 21st thru December 27th

PALO ALTO, CA – DECEMBER 19, 2011 - Skype encourages people everywhere to stay in touch with friends and family near and far, even while on the go. To make this easier, Skype is offering free WiFi in select airports across the U.S. from December 21st thru December 27th to help travelers stay connected even while they are on the road.

“The holidays are all about connecting with those that you love” says Linda Summers, Skype Marketing. “Skype is helping people maintain these meaningful connections this holiday season from wherever they may be. A voice or video call via Skype when you can’t be together for the holidays is the next best thing to being there.”

Travelers passing through or delayed in over 60 airports across the country will be able to log-on to Skype Wi-Fi and connect with a loved one via a video or voice call for free. Skype WiFi is available to travelers on PCs, Macs and iPhones.

Skype WiFi is a great way for people to browse the internet at over one million public WiFi hotspots around the world. You can use Skype Credit as payment so there is no need to buy a day-pass from another service provider. If you’ve downloaded Skype on your computer or iOS device Skype WiFi is easy to use:

1. Sign in to Skype.
2. Go to Tools > Options… > Skype WiFi Access.
3. Tick Enable Skype WiFi Access.
4. Connect to a WiFi public hotspot.
5. In the Skype menu bar, click Tools > Skype WiFi Access.
6. Follow the instructions on the screen to select and join a compatible public WiFi network.

From December 21st thru December 27th free Skype WiFi will be available in the following airports:
ALB - Albany International Airport
ASE - Aspen-Pitkin County Airport
ATL - Atlanta International Airport
AUS - Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
AZO - Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport
BIL - Billings Logan International Airport
BHM - Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport
BNA - Nashville International Airport
BOS - Boston International Airport
BUF - Buffalo Niagara International Airport
BUR - Bob Hope Airport Burbank
BWI - Baltimore/Washington International Airport
CWA - Central Wisconsin Airport
DEN - Denver Int’l Airport – Concourse B Mezzanine
DRO - Durango La Plata County Airport
DSM - Des Moines International Airport
DTW - Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
ELP - El Paso International Airport
EWR - Newark Liberty International Airport
GEG - Spokane Airport
GRR - Gerald R. Ford International Airport
GSO - Piedmont Triad International Airport
HOU - Houston William P Hobby Airport
IAH - George Bush Intercontinental/Houston Airport
IND - Indianapolis International Airport
JAC - Jackson Hole Airport
JFK - John F. Kennedy International Airport
JNU - Juneau International Airport
LGA - LaGuardia International Airport – Central Terminal
MBS - MBS International Airport Terminal 1
MDW - Chicago Midway Airport
MEM - Memphis International Airport
MIA - Miami International Airport
MKE - General Mitchell International Airport (Milwaukee)
MRY - Monterey Peninsula Airport
MSP - Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport – Lindbergh Terminal
OKC - Oklahoma City Will Rogers World Airport
OMA - Eppley Airfield Omaha Int’l Airport
ORD - Chicago O’Hare International Airport
ORF - Norfolk International Airport
PHF - Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport
PVD - T F Green International Airport
PWM - Portland International Airport
SBN - South Bend Regional Airport
SCF - Scottsdale Airport
SDF - Louisville International Airport
SFO - San Francisco International Airport
SMF - Sacramento International Airport
STL - Lambert St. Louis International Airport
SWF - Stewart International Airport
TOL - Toledo Express Airport
TVC - Traverse City/Cherry Capital Airport

U.S. consumers have spent close to $25 billion so far this holiday season, up 15% from the same period last year, according to a new report from comScore. The research group studied holiday shopping trends beginning in November and found that $479 million was spent on Thanksgiving Day, $816 million was spent on Black Friday, $886 million was spent during Thanksgiving weekend and a record $1.25 billion was spent on Cyber Monday. That wasn’t the only record broken this year, however. “Monday, December 5, 2011 now ranks as the second heaviest spending day in history at $1.18 billion,” the report said, “followed by Tuesday, November 29, 2011 at $1.12 billion and Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at $1.11 billion.” Read on for more.

ComScore expects that December 12th, otherwise known as “Green Monday,” will also be a successful sales day. “The most recent week of the online holiday shopping season saw growth rates remain in line with the season-to-date at 15 percent and three individual spending days eclipse the $1 billion threshold,” comScore chairman Gian Fulgoni said. “These highlights represent another very positive sign for the holiday shopping season, as the week following ‘Cyber Week’ often experiences relative softness in spending momentum due to retailers pulling back on their promotional activity. As we enter what will be the heaviest week of the season for online retailers – beginning with ‘Green Monday’ on December 12 – all signs are now pointing to a strong finish to the season.” ComScore’s full press release follows below.

U.S. Online Holiday Spending Approaches $25 Billion for the Season, Up 15 Percent vs. Year Ago
Upcoming “Green Monday” (Dec. 12) to Contend with Cyber Monday for Heaviest Online Spending Day of the Year

RESTON, VA, December 11, 2011 – comScore (NASDAQ : SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today reported holiday season retail e-commerce spending for the first 39 days of the November – December 2011 holiday season. For the holiday season-to-date, $24.6 billion has been spent online, marking a 15-percent increase versus the corresponding days last year. The most recent week (week ending Dec. 9) reached $5.9 billion in spending, an increase of 15 percent versus the corresponding week last year, with 3 days surpassing $1 billion. For the holiday season-to-date, six individual days have surpassed the billion dollar threshold, led by Cyber Monday at $1.25 billion.

2011 Holiday Season To Date vs. Corresponding Days* in 2010 Non-Travel (Retail) Spending Excludes Auctions and Large Corporate Purchases Total U.S. – Home & Work Locations Source: comScore, Inc.
	Millions ($)
	2010	2011	Percent Change
November 1 – December 9	$21,405	$24,622	15%
Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 24)	$407	$479	18%
Black Friday (Nov. 25)	$648	$816	26%
Thanksgiving Weekend (Nov. 26-27)	$886	$1,031	16%
Cyber Monday (Nov. 28)	$1,028	$1,251	22%
Week Ending Dec. 9	$5,149	$5,925	15%

*Corresponding days based on corresponding shopping days (November 2 thru December 10, 2010)

“The most recent week of the online holiday shopping season saw growth rates remain in line with the season-to-date at 15 percent and three individual spending days eclipse the $1 billion threshold,” said comScore chairman Gian Fulgoni. “These highlights represent another very positive sign for the holiday shopping season, as the week following ‘Cyber Week’ often experiences relative softness in spending momentum due to retailers pulling back on their promotional activity. As we enter what will be the heaviest week of the season for online retailers – beginning with ‘Green Monday’ on December 12 – all signs are now pointing to a strong finish to the season.”

“Green Monday” Leads the Way for Online Holiday Shopping

The term “Green Monday” was coined by eBay in 2007 to describe the Monday occurring around the second week of December, which has tended to be the heaviest (or among the heaviest) online spending days of the year. Over the past six holiday shopping seasons, “Green Monday” has consistently ranked among the top spending days of the season, ending the year as the top-ranked spending day twice (2005 and 2007) and the second-ranked spending day three times (2006, 2008 and 2010).

“Green Monday” U.S. Online Spending: 2005-2010 Non-Travel (Retail) Spending Excludes Auctions and Large Corporate Purchases Total U.S. – Home & Work Locations Source: comScore, Inc.
Year	Date	Spending	Rank for Season
2005	Monday, December 12	$556	1
2006	Monday, December 11	$661	2
2007	Monday, December 10	$881	1
2008	Monday, December 15	$859	2
2009	Monday, December 14	$854	5
2010	Monday, December 13	$954	2

“We know that Green Monday will rank among the top online spending days of the season, but it’s hold on the #1 position may be slipping somewhat over time,” added Mr. Fulgoni. “One possible reason is that as Free Shipping Day (Friday, December 16 this year) gains in importance each year, online spending during the heaviest week of the season is being more evenly distributed throughout the week, whereas in the past there was a much higher concentration of spending during the early part of the week.”

Top Ten Heaviest Online Spending Days on Record

Since comScore began tracking e-commerce spending in 2001, seven individual shopping days have surpassed $1 billion in spending. To date, Cyber Monday 2011 (Nov. 28) ranks as the heaviest online spending day in history at $1.25 billion. Leading off this most recent week of the holiday season, Monday, December 5, 2011 now ranks as the second heaviest spending day in history at $1.18 billion, followed by Tuesday, November 29, 2011 at $1.12 billion and Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at $1.11 billion. Cyber Monday 2010 (Monday, November 29, 2010) rounds out the top five at $1.03 billion. The only day from 2009 to make the list is Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at $913 million, the heaviest spending day of the 2009 season.

Ten Heaviest U.S. Online Retail Spending Days on Record (thru Dec. 9, 2011) Non-Travel (Retail) Spending Excludes Auctions and Large Corporate Purchases Total U.S. – Home & Work Locations Source: comScore, Inc.
	Date	Spending in Millions ($)
1	Monday, Nov. 28, 2011 (Cyber Monday)	$1,251
2	Monday, Dec. 5, 2011	$1,178
3	Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011	$1,116
4	Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011	$1,107
5	Monday, Nov. 29, 2010 (Cyber Monday)	$1,028
6	Wednesday, November 30, 2011	$1,025
7	Thursday, December 8, 2011	$1,024
8	Monday, Dec. 6, 2010	$943
9	Friday, Dec. 9, 2011	$917
10	Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2009	$913

 

If you have children aged 6-12 in your family, chances are they want an iPad, iPod touch or an iPhone for the holidays. According to new data from The Nielsen Company, the iPad is the most desired electronic gadget this season. 44% of the children surveyed are interested in buying (read: receiving as a gift) an iPad in the next six months, 30% want an iPod touch and 27% want an iPhone. Those figures are on a par with last year’s numbers. In 2010 31% of kids aged 6-12 wanted an iPad, 29% wanted a computer, 29% wanted an iPod touch and 25% wanted a Nintendo DS/DSi/DS Lite. The story changes a bit for kids over 13, but the iPad still sits at the top of gadget wish lists. 24% of teenagers older than 13 are interested in buying an iPad during the next 6 months, 18% want to buy a computer and 18% want to buy an eReader. Nielsen’s survey was conducted during October 2011 and it involved 3,000 participants. An infographic showing data for kids aged 6-12 follows after the break.

Spurred by the iPhone 4S launch, several analysts expect sales of Apple’s iPhone lineup to explode during the fourth quarter of this year. “The timing of the 70 [international] launches could have some impact on sales ahead of the launch, the US/International split, and hence, our estimates look conservative,” UBS analyst Maynard Um said in a recent note to investors. “A similar 27.5 percent U.S. / 72.5 percent international split from this quarter would imply 42.5 million units in CY4Q or an upside of 14.5 million iPhones.” Apple shipped 17.1 million iPhones during the fiscal fourth quarter, and the lower-than-expected sales were blamed on rumors and anticipation ahead of the iPhone 4S launch. Um predicts a huge turnaround for Apple in the fourth calendar quarter, and of course he isn’t alone. The “resoundingly successful” iPhone 4S launch is expected to result in a big holiday season for the Cupertino-based company, Ticonderoga Securities said in a recent note.

Best Buy will hire fewer temporary workers for the 2011 holiday season compared to last year, Reuters reported on Wednesday. The nationwide electronics retail chain will take on 15,000 new temporary employees, compared to the 29,000 it hired in 2010. Best Buy is not alone in its decision. Research from the management consulting firm Hay Group suggests that about 25% of U.S. retailers will hire fewer temporary employees this holiday season. “The consumer is being really careful about where he or she is spending the dollars, and I think that will continue through the holidays,” Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn told Reuters. Dunn said his company will carry the iPhone 5 and noted Best Buy expects tablets, smartphones and accessories for both to be a sales catalyst this holiday season.

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We already brought you details on the Samsung Impulse 4G, which is expected to be one of AT&T’s first 4G LTE devices, and now new information is available on another 4G LTE phone dubbed the HTC Holday. Engadget recently published specs and photos of the Holiday, which is said to sport a 4.5-inch qHD display and a 1.2GHz dual-core processor. It is also equipped with an 8-megapixel camera, a 1.3-megapixel forward-facing camera for video chat, 1GB of memory, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0. The Holiday, which may reportedly launch as the HTC Waikiki when AT&T makes its official announcement, will also run Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread) with HTC’s Sense 3.0 custom user interface on top. AT&T will deploy its 4G LTE network in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio this summer before it extends the network to at least 15 markets later this year. Read on for more images of the Holiday/Waikiki UI.

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The crew over at XDA-Developers recently spotted the HTC Holiday (with a cracked screen) for sale on Craigslist. We first saw renders of the Holiday in May and the leaked images supposedly confirm a number of the phone’s specs. Bound for AT&T, the Holiday appears to be equipped with a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, a 4.5-inch 960 x 540-pixel display, 1GB of RAM, a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, an 8-megapixel camera with dual-LED flash and Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread). It is unclear when AT&T plans to launch the Holiday but its spec sheet certainly has enough muscle to compete with Samsung’s inbound U.S. Galaxy S II handset, which will be announced during a press event on August 29th. Unfortunately, the XDA-Developers thread outing the device has already been pulled but you can hit the read link for another picture of the Holiday.

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GameFly announced on Wednesday it will soon offer a new service called “Unlimited PC Play” that will allow gamers to download an unlimited amount of games to their Windows or Mac computer. Much like Netflix’s business model, GameFly will provide instant access to more than 8,000 rental discs or more than 1,500 instant downloads for a monthly fee. The service will require a desktop client that will include news, a feed of HD trailers and screen shots of the latest games. GameFly also said there will be a social component that will allow gamers to interact with one another in real-time. A closed beta will begin on September 8th for current GameFly subscribers and a public launch will occur during the holiday season. Read on for the full press release.

GameFly Subscribers Will Have Access to Free PC Games

Digital Client Will Be The One-Stop Shop for Casual and Hardcore Gamers Alike

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — GameFly, Inc., the #1 online video game rental subscription service will be launching a new digital client, the one-stop shop for gamers, this holiday season. The biggest bonus for active GameFly subscribers will be the addition of free “Unlimited PC Play” which allows them to download and play as many Windows/Mac games as they want, from a large and ever-growing collection of titles. Gamers will have unprecedented flexibility in how they want to consume games, whether it is renting discs by mail from a library of over 8,000 titles, downloading any of the more than 1,500 Windows/Mac games for sale, pre-ordering new console and PC releases or buying used games – all managed via the desktop client. Casual to hardcore gamers can get all of their gaming information with up-to-the-minute news, a live feed and archive of HD trailers, videos, and screenshots, and a robust social component for real-time discussions of what’s hot and what’s not. In addition, users will be able to manage their entire library of games across all gaming platforms, as well as create custom libraries to share.

“We’re thrilled to bring digital to the gaming consumer in a meaningful way, as no other service or retailer brings physical and digital gaming together like GameFly,” said Sean Spector, GameFly co-founder and SVP of Business Development and Content. “With a library of over 9,500 titles from over 300 first- and third-party publishers, GameFly members have the ultimate choice of how, what, when and where they game.”

GameFly will launch their closed beta at a Los Angeles event on September 8, 2011, exclusively for GameFly members. All attendees will walk away with beta codes for themselves and a friend. Gaming enthusiasts not in the Los Angeles area who want to gain access to the private beta can visit www.gamefly.com/beta. The digital client will launch publicly during the holidays, but for a sneak peak now, see the teaser trailer here –www.youtube.com/gamefly.

Sony’s brand new portable gaming console, the PlayStation Vita, could launch as soon as this fall according to IGN. A Blockbuster flier in the United Kingdom started the rumor. The advertisement suggests the PS Vita Wi-Fi edition and 3G & Wi-Fi model will both launch on October 28th. A Sony spokesperson confirmed with IGN that the company will begin a “phased global release” during the holiday season, but would not confirm specific dates. We already know that the Vita will cost $249.99 in the United States and that a version with AT&T 3G will be available for $299.99. Hopefully we see the console hit U.S. shores by the holidays, too. Read on for a shot of the leaked flier.

[Via Gizmodo]

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On Wednesday, Citadel Securities analyst Shing Yin said that an iPhone launch on Sprint is ever more likely since Verizon Wireless’ announcement that it will move from unlimited data plans to tiered data pricing on July 7th. According to Barron’s, Yin believes that Apple will be more compelled than ever to launch a device on Sprint, given that it’s the last remaining of the big four U.S. wireless carriers to offer a truly unlimited data option. “We believe Sprint could capture more than its fair share of iPhone sales, especially if it gets the new model at the same time as AT&T and Verizon.” Yin explained. “We see little reason for Apple to hold back,” he argued, noting that Sprint most likely would attempt to launch the device before the holiday season this year. “[Sprint] could offer an attractive proposition for more price-conscious users (a demographic we think is increasingly important to Apple following the rise of Android,” he said. “[It] could be a relatively stronger seller than the Verizon iPhone.”

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The HTC Holiday may soon join the Infuse 4G as AT&T’s second smartphone with a 4.5-inch display. According to information obtained by 911Sniper, the Holiday will offer a spec sheet that could put the Samsung GALAXY S II to shame. The Holiday will supposedly pack a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8660 processor, the large aforementioned 4.5-inch screen with a 960 x 540 qHD resolution, 1GB of RAM, Android 2.3.4, and an 8-megapixel camera. We’re also hoping HTC includes its latest Sense user interface, which we most recently saw on the HTC Sensation. Unfortunately there isn’t any information about a possible launch date just yet, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see this sport a “4G” tag on it, also.

[Via Pocketnow]

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Just three days after Amazon announced that its Kindle e-reader had become the best-selling product of all-time on the company’s website, Barnes & Noble has issued a similar quip. “With millions of NOOK eReading devices sold, the line has become the company’s biggest bestseller ever in its nearly 40-year history,” reads a press release. “The new NOOKcolor Reader’s Tablet, introduced just eight weeks before Christmas, is the company’s number one selling gift of the holiday season.” B&N also went on to note that it “now sells more digital books than its large and growing physical book business on BN.com.” While the vague statistics being foisted upon us are impressive, neither Amazon nor Barnes & Noble will release or comment on the exact sales figures of their respective e-readers. For now, they are both the best… ever.

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