Global E-Commerce Study Reveals Number of On-Line Shoppers in the US Continues to Rise, According to TNS Interactive. Interactive - Taylor Nelson Sofres TNS - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

ISP Business, July, 2001

The proportion of on-line shoppers in the US rose by three percent during the past 12 months, according to the findings of a new global study on the Internet and e-commerce, published by Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) Interactive. Although the US has been experiencing a sluggish economy, the study revealed continued growth of on-line shopping. US on-line shoppers outnumber those surveyed, across all 36 countries, by more than two to one: 33 percent compared to the global average of 15 percent. In addition, the findings indicate that 19 percent of the total US adult population bought or ordered goods or services on-line during the past month.

On-line security is the biggest concern keeping Internet users from shopping on-line. Thirty-seven percent say that they are worried about giving credit card details or associated security problems.

The research is part of TNS Interactive's Global e-Commerce Report 2001 based on more than 42,000 representative interviews in 36 countries. Across all countries surveyed, there has been an increase of 50 percent in the proportion of Internet users who have shopped on-line, compared to 12 months ago.

Key findings for the US include:

- Fifty-seven percent of the US adult population has used the Internet in the last month, with 58 percent of males, and 54 percent of females doing so, compared with the global adult population average of 31 percent.

- Twenty-three percent of Internet users say that they plan to buy or order goods or services on-line within the next six months; an increase of four percent from last year's total (19 percent).

- The most popular items for on-line shoppers are books and clothes, each with 24 percent of on-line shoppers purchasing them over the Internet in the last month. Music/compact discs was second at 19 percent.