Online holiday spending jumps nearly 5% to new record, Adobe Analytics says

A UPS worker sorts packages in New York on Dec. 18, 2017. Adam Jeffery | CNBC Online spending rose 4.9% year over year, setting a record for e-commerce during the holiday season, as shoppers pounced on discounts and leaned on buy now, pay later to cover more of their purchases, according to Adobe Analytics. Sales totaled $222.1 billion on retailers' websites and apps from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31, according to Adobe. Adobe's data covers more than 1 trillion visits to U.S. retail websites, 100 million unique items and 18 total product categories. This year, more purchases rather than higher prices drove spending, Adobe said. Prices have…