N.Y. Transit Strike Drove Holiday Shoppers OnlineN.Y. Transit Strike Drove Holiday Shoppers Online

The New York transit strike drove the city's holiday shoppers to the Web, as idle trains and busses made it difficult to get to stores, a research firm said Friday.

During the first two days of the three-day strike that ended late Thursday, the city's share of U.S. online spending jumped by 28 percent to 4.4 percent from 3.4 percent, said ComScore Networks, which tracks consumer behavior on the Web.

"Without question the ability to order online and receive products in advance of the holiday was a major attraction to New York area residents at a time when it was difficult to reach their favorite retail stores," Tal Zamir, director of ComScore Networks, said in a statement.

From Nov. 1 to Dec. 21, U.S. holiday shoppers have spent $17.48 billion online, a 24 percent increase over the $14.08 billion spent during the same period a year ago, according to ComScore. Internet retail sites are expected to take in $19.6 billion during the season, compared with $15.8 billion last year.

For the full year, online shoppers are expected to spend $82.7 billion, compared with $66.5 billion in 2004, ComScore said.