International News - Xmas looks good for US e-tailers

US e-tailers are braced for a boom this December, as sales begin to climb. Two-thirds of online retailers are optimistic about festive sales, compared with 60 per cent last year, according to a survey released by US trade body the National Retail Federation (NRF).

Of the 90 e-tailers surveyed, 62 per cent said sales so far this year have increased by more than 25 per cent. Almost a quarter said growth has been more than 80 per cent.

'Many retailers have become skilled at attracting customers and delivering great shopping experiences,' said a spokesman for Shop.org, the online arm of the NRF.

The poll, which also included responses from more than 3,000 customers, revealed that 45 per cent of shoppers plan to do a higher percentage of their shopping online.

Market research company Forrester predicted Christmas sales will grow by 42 per cent in the holiday period - from Thanksgiving to Christmas - to US$12.2 billion (£7.19 billion). Forrester estimates total sales for 2003 will top US$100 billion (£58.96 billion).

Winners look likely to include eBay.com, bestbuy.com and Circuitcity.com, which drew 2.3 million visitors, 1.49 million visitors and 655,000 visitors respectively in the week to November 9, according to Nielsen/NetRatings.

Amazon expects fourth- quarter sales to increase by a third compared with last year.