Net Metrix Profiles: Online shopping continues to grow
According to the Net-Metrix-Profile 2010-2 study, online shopping continues to grow. Nearly 60 percent of all Internet users shop online at least occasionally, and one in five already shops online weekly or more often. Nielsen Net-View panel data shows that it’s not just general-merchandise retailers that are in demand when it comes to online shopping.
According to Nielsen Net-View data from December 2010, almost one in two Internet users visited online stores with a wide range of products (mass merchandisers). In addition to the traditionally strong electronics sector, there was also increased demand for fashion products online.
At least one in three visitors to mass merchandisers (e.g. Amazon, Coop, Migros) also visited sites of other sectors during this period. Around 57% of the users of "Multi-Category Home & Fashion" (e.g., Jelmoli, Ackermann) or every second user of "Home & Garden" (e.g., Ikea, Conforama, Micasa), also used offers from the "Apparel & Beauty" sector (e.g., Eboutic.ch, Mariannaud Parfumeries) in December 2010.
The intensity of use also increased. In almost all sectors, the average number of visits per person increased by a double-digit percentage (see chart below). And the market research company also noted growth, in some cases significant, in the average time of use per person. Nielsen expects the trend to continue in 2011. The good comparability and the convenience of ordering from home speak for further increases in e-commerce.
Demographics of users: young, male, educated
The regular online shopper is still more often male, between 30 and 39 years old, and brings with him a high level of school education. Among male Internet users, the proportion of weekly online shoppers is significantly higher (23.2%) than among women (17.2%).
The proportion of regular shoppers is highest among those aged 30 to 39 (26.4%), followed by those aged 20 to 29 (23.4%). At around 14%, this proportion is lowest in the 50+ age group and, conversely, the proportion of users in this group who practically never store online is most pronounced at around 55%. By comparison, this proportion is less than one-third among 30-39 year olds.
Internet users with a high level of school education comprise the highest proportion of online shoppers: almost two-thirds (63.1%) purchase products over the Internet at least occasionally. In the group of Internet users with compulsory schooling, it is not even one in two (44.2%).
