Ticket sites represented the fastest growing category on the web in July 2011, with nearly 26 million people browsing for summer concerts, events and entertainment, marking a 23% increase compared to June 2011, according to [pdf] comScore Media Metrix data. Ticketmaster ranked first with 10.9 million visitors (up 13%), followed by MovieTickets.com with 5.6 million (up 34%).
In addition, Tickets.com sites grew to the third position with 3.6 million, while StubHub.com followed with 3.4 million (up 9%) and eBay Tickets US rounded out the top five with 843,000 visitors (up 31%). Total US unique internet audience remained essentially flat at 215 million.
Back-to-School Season Benefits CPG, Apparel Sites
The back-to-school shopping season got an early jump in July as traffic to consumer goods sites (especially office supplies) increased 13% month-over-month to reach 25.6 million people. Staples.com sites took the top spot in the category with 7.3 million visitors (up 30%), followed by Office Depot with 4 million (up 21%), QVC sites with 3.6 million (up 5%) and OfficeMax with 2.5 million (up 32 %).
Apparel sites also drew early back-to-school shoppers as the category grew 8% to 66 million visitors. Zappos Sites ranked #1 in the category with 8.4 million visitors (up 54%), followed by Limitedbrands with 6.4 million, Nordstrom.com with 4.9 million (up 44%), Nike with 4.8 million, and OldNavy.com with 4.8 million (up 4%).
Other top apparel retailers in July included Forever 21, Inc. (3.6 million), Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (3.4 million), American Eagle Outfitters (3.1 million) and Gap online (2.6 million).
Americans Get Fashionable
Beauty/fashion/styles sites ranked as the second top-gaining category in July. The category grew 17% to 62.6 million visitors, with Stylelist Sites taking the top spot with 10.8 million (up 12%). Glam Style followed in second with 9.5 million visitors (up 46%), while Glo attracted 5 million (up 24%) and PopSugar Fashion Beauty & Shopping attracted 4.6 million (up 13%).
Meanwhile, Total Beauty Media came in fifth with 4.4 million visitors, while Hearst Beauty & Fashion Network saw 3.9 million (up 15%).
Google Leading Site for 2nd Straight Month
Google sites ranked as the #1 property in July with 182.3 million visitors, followed by Yahoo sites with 177.6 million and Microsoft sites with 174.3 million. Ask Network jumped 1 position to rank #8 with 84.9 million visitors, while AT&T Interactive Network jumped 7 positions to #26 (38.4 million visitors). Fox News Digital appeared in the top 50 ranking at #46 with 26.1 million visitors.
Google sites also ranked as the #1 property in June with 182.5 million visitors, followed by Yahoo sites with 178.4 million and Microsoft sites with 173.6 million. Yahoo had held the top spots for the previous three months, with Google placing second.
Google Ad Network Has Longest Reach Again
Google Ad Network led the July Ad Focus ranking with a reach of 93.3% of Americans online, followed by Yahoo! Network Plus (87.5%), AOL Advertising (87.2%), Yahoo sites (82.6%) and ValueClick Networks (82%).
Google Ad Network also led the June Ad Focus ranking with a reach of 92.8% of Americans online, similar to its leading reach of 92.3% in May, followed by Yahoo Network Plus (86.3%), AOL Advertising (85.9%), Yahoo sites (83.2%) and Google (82.2%).
Deloitte: 4 in 10 Back to School Shoppers Will Spend $250+
About four in 10 (43%) US back-to-school shoppers with at least one child in grades K-12 this fall will spend $250 or more on back to school items, according to a July 2011 Deloitte survey. Results from the 2011 Deloitte Back to School Survey indicate this figure includes 28% who will spend $250-$499, as well as 8% who will spend $500-$749.
Only a combined 7% will spend $750 or more on back to school items this year. In contrast, the highest single percentage of shoppers (39%) will spend $100-$249.
