comScore Networks announced first quarter 2006 ecommerce sales reached $24 billion for non-travel sales in the United States.

The reported $24 billion represents a 22 percent year-over-year growth rate.

"The fact that the comScore data has been validated to accurately predict the official Commerce Department numbers that are published approximately five weeks later provides a vital benefit to marketers by allowing them to obtain the fastest reading possible of the key trends in consumers' online spending by relying on the comScore estimates," says Gian Fulgoni, chairman of comScore Networks.

comScore's online spending figures have accurately predicted the U.S. Department of Commerce reports by just three percent in total.

"If, as we expect, ecommerce spending continues to grow at a rate in excess of 20 percent for the balance of the year, online spending for 2006 will eclipse the $100 billion threshold for the first time. The growth in consumers' online buying during the past five years has been quite remarkable, with ecommerce now well-integrated into Americans' shopping behavior," adds Fulgoni.