As more American households go online, there’s been a great deal of focus on the mass-marketizing of online retailing. But a study just out from Harris Interactive and Blue Martini Software Inc. shows that the highest-income, best educated households are likely to be the biggest buyers online this year.
Households with college graduates earning more than $50,000 a year plan to purchase online at the largest number of sites, says the survey of 1,000 Americans conducted at the end of October. A fourth of college grads plan to shop three to five web sites this year, vs. 14% for consumers with some college education, 7% for high school grads and 6% for high school dropouts.
Similarly, 27% of households with income over $50,000 plan to shop three to five sites, compared to 7% for $35,000-$50,000, 11% for $25,000-$35,000 and 7% for $15,000-$25,000.
High income, well educated consumers also are more likely to spend more online than they did last year. 11% of college grads say they will spend more online this year, vs. 8% of some college, 5% of high school grads and high school dropouts. 13% of $50,000+ households plan to buy more online this year, far ahead of the other groups’ 4%, 3% and 4%.
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