Online Holiday Spending off to a Good Start

American consumers have headed to the online mall, kicking off the start of the holiday shopping season by spending more per person for a total of $4.5 billion during the first three weeks of November.

Shoppers spent more than $1 billion more this year compared to last year during the same three-week period, according to a report from Goldman Sachs & Co., Harris Interactive and Nielsen//NetRatings.

The report found that per person spending increased to nearly $88 during the week ending Nov. 22, a 22% increase over the previous week and rising 8% compared to the same time last year.

Shoppers surveyed in the latest week indicated that 19% of their budgets was earmarked for online purchased, increasing slightly from 2001. However, while online shopping showed increases, spending for offline and catalog shopping showed a slight decrease.

"Despite the continued economic instability, holiday shoppers have opened up their pocketbooks online," said Lisa Strand, director and chief e-commerce analyst, Nielsen/NetRatings. "We’re seeing consumers shift their budgets this year, with more shoppers planning to increase their online spending while reducing catalog and offline store spending."

Some 89% of respondents said they planned to continue shopping on the Web.

The survey queried more than 750 online shoppers ages 18 and over.