In some categories, such as books, music, software, videos, and consumer electronics, it could represent as much as 25 percent of sales. In 2000, the profile of the average online buyer in the U.S. is moving ever closer to that of the in-store buyer. Sixty percent of online buyers are women, and 59 percent are married. However, in terms of education and household income, online buyers are still somewhat higher than the average on land buyer. Consumers will log on in increasing numbers this year, and many will go to the big brand name sites they know and trust.
Many companies have strong brands, and that is one of their great advantages.
The list of favorite purchase categories in the U.S. has expanded well beyond the commodity items such as books, CDs, and computers that fueled the early growth of online retailing. While nearly half of respondents indicated they purchased books, computer products and music online, more than one-third have purchased apparel and accessories online. In addition, around one-quarter bought toys and health and beauty aids online during the past 12 months. The eCommercePulse online survey of 30,000 Web users conducted in December found that among the most visited e-tailing, travel, and auctions sites, customer satisfaction ranked highest among Internet pure plays. The average customer service ranking across 264 sites analyzed was 7.77.