Shopping-related activity among the most popular on the web, Harris reports

Researching products and services is the third most popular use of the Internet, a new Harris poll shows. 41% of adults surveyed in mid December said they went online often or very often to research products and services. The No. 1 activity was sending or receiving e-mail (67% often or very often) and No. 2 was doing research for school or work (45% often or very often). Shopping was the 7th most popular activity in terms of consumers who engaged in it often or very often.

Researching products and services was also the fastest growing activity in the past three years, moving from 25% of Internet users in December 2000. The Harris poll did not ask consumers if they used the web for shopping three years ago, so has no growth numbers to compare this year’s number to. Making travel arrangements move up from 11% who said they pursued that activity often or very often online to 15%.

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In spite of the growing sophistication of web users and the more targeted nature of much web activity, surfing the web to explore new an different sites increased as an often or very often activity from 24% in 2000 to 32% in 2003.

Here are Harris’s activities and the percent of respondents who said they engage in them often or very often:
• Sending or receiving email (67%)
• Doing research for work or school (45%)
• Getting information about products and services (41%)
• Getting information about hobbies or special interests (36%)
• Checking news, weather, etc. (40%)
• Surfing the web to explore new and different sites (32%)
• Shopping online (22%)
• Obtaining information on local amusements and activities (19%)
• Paying bills (18%)
• Downloading or playing games (18%)
• Financial management and investing (15%)
• Making travel plans or arrangements (15%)
• Obtaining information about health or disease (15%)

Harris also reported that the number of people online has increased from 63% in 2000 to 69% by December 2003. Results come from a nationwide telephone survey conducted by Harris Interactive between Dec. 10 and 16, 2003, among 729 adults who are online from home, work, school, library or other location.