Over 85 percent of the world’s online population has used the Internet at some point to make a purchase. Globally, more than half of Internet users have made at least one purchase online in the past month.
When Nielsen conducted its first global survey into Internet shopping trends two years ago, approximately one in ten of the world’s population (627 million people) had shopped online. Within two years, this number has increased by approximately 40 percent (to 875 million).
By Alex Burmaster, European Internet Analyst, Nielsen Online
In our increasingly cluttered lives, consumers are increasingly turning to the unrivalled convenience of the Internet to research and buy products. Globally, the most popular and purchased items over the Internet are Books (41% of recent online shoppers having bought these) followed by ‘Clothing/Accessories/Shoes’ (36%), then ‘Videos / DVDs / Games’ and Airline Tickets (both 24%).
The number of recent Internet shoppers buying books over the Internet has increased from 34% to 41% in the past two years but the biggest increase has been in ‘Clothing / Accessories / Shoes’ which increased from 20% to 36%. Some of the biggest buyers of books on the Internet are from developing countries—China, Brazil, Vietnam and Egypt—indicating massive growth potential for online retailers that can specifically target these fast-growing markets.
Whilst European (93%) and North American (92%) Netizens are the most likely to have shopped online, South Korea actually leads the way with 99% followed by the UK, Germany and Japan (all 97%). The U.S is joint eighth with 94% alongside Poland, France and Ireland.
Irish online shoppers have the most varied shopping baskets – averaging purchases from four different categories of products – followed closely by UK and Vietnamese shoppers (both averaging purchases from 3.8 different categories). The strong performance of the Asian market is reinforced by South Korea appearing next – averaging 3.5. The US appears 15th with an average of 3.1 product categories finding their way into Americans shopping carts. In contrast, Canadians averaged only 2.3 categories – putting them in second to last spot ahead of Indonesians.
In terms of how online shoppers choose the sites they buy from, familiarity is the biggest factor, with 60% going to the same site they buy from regularly. This shows the importance of capturing the tens of millions of new online shoppers as they make their first purchases via the Internet. If etailers can capture them early, and create a positive shopping experience, they will likely capture their loyalty and their money.
Nowhere is familiarity or habit more important than in Asia. Online shoppers in China (75%), Taiwan (73%) and Japan (70%) are the most likely to cite this factor. In comparison, 63% of Americans (8th most likely country) and 61% of Britons (11th most likely country) cite this as a factor.
Following behind familiarity (60%), online shoppers around the world also select their shopping sites through general surfing (33% citing this as a factor) followed by search engines (31%) and special offers (30%).
General surfing as a factor is strongest in Denmark (56%) Chile and Poland (both 51%), whilst search engines are most likely to play a part in the shopping process in Vietnam (63%) and Russia (57%). In contrast Taiwanese (54%) and Indians (48%) are the most likely to be swayed by a special offer.
It is interesting that, globally, personal recommendations and shopping directories (both 23%) are equally strong factors. The explosion in Consumer Generated Media over the last year indicates this reliance on word of mouth, over other forms of referral, could well increase. Clearly, however, any global retail strategy requires significant adaptation for local market nuances.
By Alex Burmaster, European Internet Analyst, Nielsen Online
