Media-Screen: Internet Influences Purchase Decisions More Than Magazines And TV

Netpop | Shop shows the growing impact of shopping sites and search engines on the U.S. broadband consumer population

(SAN FRANCISCO) - Feb. 5, 2007 – 50 percent of broadband users in the U.S. say a recent purchase was influenced by the Internet, 36 percent were influenced by shopping sites and 15 percent by search engines. This was more than TV commercials (11 percent) and magazine advertisements (6 percent), showing the growing impact of online sources on purchasing decisions, as revealed in Netpop | Shop, a recent study by Media-Screen, a market research firm that focuses on online consumer trends.

“Online sources are eclipsing traditional media and advertising channels, like radio and television,” explains Cate Riegner, director of research for Media-Screen. “Retailers need to recognize this trend and adjust their marketing and advertising strategies accordingly. Netpop explores how the new media landscape is shifting shopping habits in order to provide marketers with the data they need to reach modern consumers effectively.”

Netpop | Shop, a report designed for retailers, advertisers and marketers that looks at the shopping habits of broadband users, also examines five distinct product categories: Pricey Tech-Electronics; No Touch Services; Media Mesh; High Touch Retail; and Household Staples.

Findings reveal the Internet’s significant role in the purchase of many types of items, beyond established e-commerce categories like technology, travel and financial services. In fact, 58 percent of clothing items and 59 percent of home and garden items were influenced by an online source.

Additional topics investigated in the report include:

* How much time is spent researching products before making a purchas
* The differences between women’s and men’s shopping behavior and spending habits
* Influence of user-generated content on product purchases
* Response rates to online advertising on different sites
* Impact on consumer knowledge and advocacy
* Types of products purchased online versus those purchased in retail stores·
* The most popular online shopping sites

“Comprised of over one-third of all Americans, Broadbanders are an influential group of educated consumers who live in households that earn ten percent more income than the national average,” said Josh Crandall, managing director of Media-Screen. “They are a bellwether of where the modern consumer market is headed and thus an important audience to track in terms of shopping attitudes and behaviors.”

Netpop | Shop is available through prepared reports and custom consulting engagements to address specific needs. For more information about Netpop, please visit www.media-screen.com or call 415-647-1007.

About the Research
Netpop | Shop examines the purchasing behaviors of broadband users ages 13 and older, resulting in a rich dataset covering over 100 types of products across over 12 product categories – everything from soda, to auto insurance to digital cameras. The analysis of 1,397 people in the U.S. who shop online is part of a larger study of 4,190 consumers who access the Internet via a broadband connection.

About Netpop
Netpop™ is an ongoing study that marks the maturation of the consumer broadband market in the U.S. The study highlights the diversity within the broadband population, with a special focus on their attitudes and behaviors around advertising, shopping, community, entertainment and mobile devices. Netpop helps companies better understand their customers, constructing an industry-wide framework to drive more successful online products and marketing initiatives. For more information, please visit www.NetpopResearch.com.

About Media-Screen
Media-Screen™ provides strategic market research services focusing on the online consumer in the US and around the world. Since 1997, the firm’s research and consumer insights have influenced the product development and marketing decisions of companies competing in the digital and physical marketplaces. Based in San Francisco, Media-Screen works with Fortune 1000 companies interested in competing effectively in the modern consumer market. For more information, please visit www.media-screen.com.

Contact Information

Ellisa Feinstein

Media Contact

PR for Media-Screen

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