Advertising-resistant, but eager to buy
A study by Pro Active compares Internet usage in Switzerland with that in other European countries
A study by Pro Active compares Internet behavior in Switzerland with that in European countriesBy Clemens Hörler The first Pan European Internet Monitor by Pro Active International shows: In Switzerland, fewer Internet users click on advertising banners than the European average. On the other hand, the Swiss occupy the top position in Europe in the area of online shopping.
The research company Pro Active International, headquartered in Amsterdam, collected qualitative and quantitative data on Internet users in 15 Western European countries in March and April of this year, surveying 15,000 people by telephone and 10,000 with online forms. The study focused on the demographic structure of Internet users, their behavior online, and attitudes toward advertising.
The results show that online advertising is viewed in a highly ambivalent light throughout Europe: In Switzerland, 34.4 percent of respondents described Internet advertising as informative, 29.8 percent as useful and 26.9 percent as entertaining. On the other hand, 27.9 percent of users feel irritated or disturbed by Internet advertising, 21.5 percent believe online advertising is a waste of time, and 19.3 percent brand it as intrusive.
Clicks are not everything, purchases must also be made
If we look not only at the attitude but also the actual behavior of users, we find that the Swiss are a rather advertising-resistant online audience. Only 27.6 percent of Internet users here said they had clicked on online advertising in the two weeks before the survey. In France, the figure was 53.3 percent, while the European average was 34.4 percent. Only 32.9 percent of Swiss Internet users left their profile on their website. The European average is 48.9 percent.
One ray of hope for advertisers is that Internet users in Switzerland are quite willing to buy. After all, 8.2 percent of respondents said they had ordered something in the last two weeks in response to Internet advertising. 3.5 percent bought the advertised product in a real store, which is roughly in line with the European average. So if you get a Swiss user to click, you have an above-average chance of getting them to buy something. This fact shows that Internet advertisers should not only aim for the highest possible click-through rate, but should also think about the behavior after the click.
Swiss are European champions in online shopping
In any case, the Swiss are extremely eager online shoppers. In terms of per capita spending, they even lead the field in Europe. 473 euros per inhabitant over the age of 15 will be spent on online purchases in Switzerland this year. The European average is 164 euros. Apart from the Swiss, only the Swedes (438 euros) and the Danes (323 euros) spend more than 300 euros online. According to a forecast by Pro Interactive International, the Spanish spend just 33 euros.
In absolute terms, Switzerland still ranks third in e-commerce sales, behind Germany and the UK. Together, these two European Internet giants are responsible for almost two-thirds of the 49 billion euros spent via the Internet in Scandinavia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland in 2000. Switzerland accounts for around 6 percent. The fact that Switzerland cuts such a good figure in e-commerce is also due to its high connection density: 49.2 percent of the population over the age of 15 has access to the Internet. This figure is only higher in the four Scandinavian countries.
Cultural diversity also
during payment
In Switzerland and most European countries, B2B transactions account for the largest share of e-commerce. In Switzerland, the figure is 274 euros compared with 199 euros from B2C commerce. Credit cards are used as a means of payment in only 34 percent of all business purchases and in 40 percent of private orders. The European average is 44 percent and 50 percent respectively. The most credit card-friendly country is the UK, where 90 percent of all online purchases are paid for by card.
It is not only in the use of credit cards that there are considerable cultural differences between European countries. Acceptance of the euro as a means of payment and the need to be addressed on the Internet in one's own native language also differ from country to country. In Spain and France in particular, users value websites in their native language. "We have identified many cultural differences that are fundamental to commercial success in Europe," notes Liesbeth Hop, CEO of Pro Active International. "This is certainly where Europeans are in a good position when it comes to competing with American companies."
The research company Pro Active International, headquartered in Amsterdam, collected qualitative and quantitative data on Internet users in 15 Western European countries in March and April of this year, surveying 15,000 people by telephone and 10,000 with online forms. The study focused on the demographic structure of Internet users, their behavior online, and attitudes toward advertising.
The results show that online advertising is viewed in a highly ambivalent light throughout Europe: In Switzerland, 34.4 percent of respondents described Internet advertising as informative, 29.8 percent as useful and 26.9 percent as entertaining. On the other hand, 27.9 percent of users feel irritated or disturbed by Internet advertising, 21.5 percent believe online advertising is a waste of time, and 19.3 percent brand it as intrusive.
Clicks are not everything, purchases must also be made
If we look not only at the attitude but also the actual behavior of users, we find that the Swiss are a rather advertising-resistant online audience. Only 27.6 percent of Internet users here said they had clicked on online advertising in the two weeks before the survey. In France, the figure was 53.3 percent, while the European average was 34.4 percent. Only 32.9 percent of Swiss Internet users left their profile on their website. The European average is 48.9 percent.
One ray of hope for advertisers is that Internet users in Switzerland are quite willing to buy. After all, 8.2 percent of respondents said they had ordered something in the last two weeks in response to Internet advertising. 3.5 percent bought the advertised product in a real store, which is roughly in line with the European average. So if you get a Swiss user to click, you have an above-average chance of getting them to buy something. This fact shows that Internet advertisers should not only aim for the highest possible click-through rate, but should also think about the behavior after the click.
Swiss are European champions in online shopping
In any case, the Swiss are extremely eager online shoppers. In terms of per capita spending, they even lead the field in Europe. 473 euros per inhabitant over the age of 15 will be spent on online purchases in Switzerland this year. The European average is 164 euros. Apart from the Swiss, only the Swedes (438 euros) and the Danes (323 euros) spend more than 300 euros online. According to a forecast by Pro Interactive International, the Spanish spend just 33 euros.
In absolute terms, Switzerland still ranks third in e-commerce sales, behind Germany and the UK. Together, these two European Internet giants are responsible for almost two-thirds of the 49 billion euros spent via the Internet in Scandinavia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland in 2000. Switzerland accounts for around 6 percent. The fact that Switzerland cuts such a good figure in e-commerce is also due to its high connection density: 49.2 percent of the population over the age of 15 has access to the Internet. This figure is only higher in the four Scandinavian countries.
Cultural diversity also
during payment
In Switzerland and most European countries, B2B transactions account for the largest share of e-commerce. In Switzerland, the figure is 274 euros compared with 199 euros from B2C commerce. Credit cards are used as a means of payment in only 34 percent of all business purchases and in 40 percent of private orders. The European average is 44 percent and 50 percent respectively. The most credit card-friendly country is the UK, where 90 percent of all online purchases are paid for by card.
It is not only in the use of credit cards that there are considerable cultural differences between European countries. Acceptance of the euro as a means of payment and the need to be addressed on the Internet in one's own native language also differ from country to country. In Spain and France in particular, users value websites in their native language. "We have identified many cultural differences that are fundamental to commercial success in Europe," notes Liesbeth Hop, CEO of Pro Active International. "This is certainly where Europeans are in a good position when it comes to competing with American companies."
