By the Stats: Retail, Online Holiday Sales Increase

Holiday retail and online sales rose 8.7 percent from 2004, according to SpendingPulse, a division of MasterCard International. And research firm comScore Networks reported that non-travel-related online sales totaled $17.5 billion between Nov. 1 and Dec. 21, making for a 24 percent increase over the corresponding period in 2004.

Following are product categories and their percentage sales gains and losses from 2004, according to SpendingPulse:

¥ home furnishings, up 15 percent;

¥ consumer electronics, up 11 percent;

¥ sporting goods, books, music and videos, up 6.4 percent;

¥ apparel, up 5.8 percent; and

¥ jewelry, down 4.6 percent.