For example, there is no evidence that the TV and Internet markets are converging, according to a study by NPD and Iconoclast. What is surprising is that 65 per cent claim credit card security to be a concern, and 58 per cent cited personal privacy. There appears to be a reluctance by Internet merchants to recognise that many people do not have the money to make a purchase, and that they are, if you will, window shopping. We doubt that. US Internet marketers continue to beat the drum that the European market is backward, but it seems not to have occurred to them that many of the goods and services offered are not wanted or are too expensive after delivery costs and tax are taken into account.
Cultural differences are also very significant.
Some of the wilder forecasts concern the Asian market. We doubt all this too. Many of these predictions are made by people in the US who dine at McDonalds, drink Coca Cola, and have little experience with the reality of developing markets. If they drank beer, smoked, and munched Scotch eggs they might have a better understanding. But that's market research for you.