LONDON, December 17 /PRNewswire/ --

- comScore Reports Online Search Activity for Europe's Hottest Gadgets This Christmas

comScore, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today released an update of traffic to online retailer sites during the 2008 holiday shopping season along with the results of a study tracking the frequency of online search inquiries for some of the most popular gadgets and games in the U.K., France and Germany. The study observed the total number of searches made for a selection of leading products from the gaming, mobile, and portable music-player segments: Apple iPhone, Apple iPod, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360. Searches conducted for each of these items during the final week of November were compared with an average week during the month of October to demonstrate how interest in these items has increased in the heart of the Christmas shopping season.

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Growth in Online Retail Visitation Slows as Consumer Confidence Stalls in December

After a strong start during the first three weeks of the Christmas shopping season, growth in visitation to online retail sites has slowed within the U.K., finishing up at just 1 percent over the base period during the first week of December. Germany has shown similar traffic patterns, slowing to just 7 percent above the base period average after a season-so-far high of 15 percent in the third week of November. In France, traffic numbers have grown modestly but fairly constantly this Christmas shopping season, finishing up 5 percent over the base period average in the first week of December.

Christmas Online Shopping Uptake* % Growth in Total Visitors to Online Retail Sites during Christmas Shopping Season 2008 vs. Weekly Base Period Average** U.K., France Germany Source: comScore World Metrix, 2008*** Base Period Average (Sept 1 - Nov 2) U.K. France Germany Week 1 (Nov 3 - Nov 9) 13% 8% 10% Week 2 (Nov 10 - Nov 16) 13% 5% 10% Week 3 (Nov 17 - Nov 23) 10% 6% 15% Week 4 (Nov 24 - Nov 30) 3% 6% 10% Week 5 (Dec 1 - Dec 7) 1% 5% 7% Christmas Shopping Season Average 8% 6% 10% * % change represents the change in the number of visitors to online retail sites compared to the pre-Christmas season base period average. ** Derived from the average weekly visitors to a pre-determined sample of leading online retail sites for the period Sep 1 - Nov 2. *** Excludes traffic from public computers such as Internet cafes or access from mobile phones or PDAs.

U.K. Christmas Search Activity

Of the five leading gadgets selected for the study, the Nintendo Wii was the most searched for product in each of the three European markets. In the U.K., searches grew 64 percent versus the base period to nearly 2 million searches in the final week of November. Apple iPod came next with 1.5 million searches, followed by Microsoft Xbox 360 (1.3 million searches), and Apple iPhone (466,838 searches). Searches for the Apple iPhone were actually down 18 percent versus the base period, having peaked in the months immediately following the July release of the iPod 3G in the U.K.

U.K. Searches for a Selection of Leading Gadgets Ranked by Total U.K. Unique Searches during the Week Ending Nov 30 2008* Source: comScore qSearch 2.0 Base Period Average Week Ending Product (Sept 29 - Nov 2)** Nov 30 % Change Nintendo Wii 1,176,327 1,927,296 64% iPod 1,119,296 1,470,427 31% Xbox 360 940,324 1,253,255 33% iPhone 571,762 466,838 -18% Sony PlayStation 3 133,819 168,353 26% * Excludes traffic from public computers such as Internet cafes or access from mobile phones or PDAs. ** Derived from the average weekly searches for the period Sept 29 - Nov 2.

French Christmas Search Activity

The Nintendo Wii was also the most searched product in France, growing 100 percent versus the base period to 1.4 million searches in the final week of November. The Apple iPhone generated 701,604, searches in the final week of November, followed by the iPod, with 685,016 searches. Meanwhile, the Xbox 360 received 405,919 searches compared to just 99,354 for the PlayStation 3.

French Searches for a Selection of Leading Gadgets Ranked by Total Unique Searches during the Week Ending Nov 30 2008* Source: comScore qSearch 2.0 Base Period Average Week Ending Product (Sept 29 - Nov 2)** Nov 30 % Change Nintendo Wii 705,037 1,412,570 100% iPhone 673,606 701,604 4% iPod 453,569 685,016 51% Xbox 360 367,861 405,919 10% Sony PlayStation 3 75,638 99,354 31% * Excludes traffic from public computers such as Internet cafes or access from mobile phones or PDAs. ** Derived from the average weekly searches for the period Sept 29 - Nov 2.

German Christmas Search Activity

The Nintendo Wii was also the most searched product in Germany, with the number of searches growing 26 percent on the base period to 771,885 during the final week of November. The Apple iPod and iPhone also fared well, with 708,856 and 551,315 searches, respectively. Meanwhile, the Xbox 360 generated 512,344 searches while with PlayStation 3 attracted 134,610 searches.

German Searches for a Selection of Leading Gadgets Ranked by Total U.K. Unique Searches during the Week Ending Nov 30 2008* Source: comScore qSearch 2.0 Base Period Average Week Ending Product (Sept 29 - Nov 2)** Nov 30 % Change Nintendo Wii 611,186 771,885 26% iPod 680,914 708,856 4% iPhone 363,659 551,315 52% Xbox 360 828,763 512,344 -38% Sony PlayStation 3 140,420 134,610 -4% * Excludes traffic from public computers such as Internet cafes or access from mobile phones or PDAs. ** Derived from the average weekly searches for the period Sept 29 - Nov 2.

With Christmas now fast approaching, there has been a notable uptick in online searches for some of the hottest gadgets this season, said Herve Le Jouan, Managing Director, comScore Europe. While Apple products such as the iPod and the iPhone are obviously high-interest products, it looks as though the Nintendo Wii will reign as the 'hottest' product on the market for the second consecutive year.

About comScore

comScore, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world and preferred source of digital marketing intelligence. For more information, please visit http://www.comscore.com/boilerplate

Jamie Gavin of comScore, Inc., +44-(0)207-099-1775, worldpress@comscore.com. Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080115/COMSCORELOGO