Lower income households shopping more online

Although they’re still the least likely among income groups to shop on the web, “down market” households (incomes of $22,500 or less) showed the only increase in online shopping between April and August of this year, research and consulting firm Retail Forward Inc. says in its ShopperScape report this month.

The report notes that 78% “up market” households (incomes of $75,000 and up) said they shopped online in August, maintaining the same rate in April, while “middle market” (incomes between $22,500 and $75,000) showed a decline in online shopping, to 66% from 69%.

But online shopping among down-market households rose to 60% in August from 54% in April, the report says. Among all shoppers, 67% said they shopped online in August, down from 67% in April. Retail Forward bases its figures on a survey that asks consumers if they had shopped online for non-business use regardless of whether they actually made an online purchase.