By the end of this year, 52.4% of Internet users aged 14+ will have purchased something online in 2002, says research firm eMarketer Inc. Since the rate has just crossed the 50% line, online retailers can look for more growth over the next several years, it says.
In a report released last week, “Consumer Electronics Online,” New York-based eMarketer points to steady increases since 2000 in the number of U.S. consumers aged 14+ who shop and buy on the Internet. It notes that as the percent of Internet users who shop the web has increased, so has the percentage of shoppers who buy. And it notes that the average annual purchase has increased 15.9% since 2000 to nearly $900 this year.
Its findings:
-- As the U.S. 14+ population grew 2% from 221.3 million in 2000 to 225.6 million in 2002, the number of Internet users aged 14+ grew 23% from 112.6 million (50.9% of the total 14+ population) to 138.6 million (61.4%).
-- The number of Internet shoppers aged 14+ grew 33% from 82.2 million in 2000 (73% of Internet users aged 14+) to 109.5 million in 2002 (79%).
-- The number of Internet buyers aged 14+ grew 37% from 52.9 million in 2000 (47% of Internet users aged 14+) to 72.6 million in 2002 (52.4% of Internet users aged 14+).
-- The average annual purchase per online buyer grew 15.9% from $769.06 in 2000 to $832.29 in 2001 and $891.18 in 2002.
-- U.S. b2c retail e-commerce sales grew from $27.3 billion in 2000 to $35.9 billion in 2001 and $44.1 billion in 2002.
EMarketer notes that the 14+ age population represents about 90% of all Internet users according to the August 2000 U.S. Department of Commerce Survey.
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