More than three-quarters (78%) of adult online consumers in the US made some type of online purchase in the past six months, according to a new study from Nielsen Online.
Nielsen said that the top transaction categories were travel, credit-card management and online banking.
The top online transaction category was travel, with 38% of adult online consumers making at least one travel purchase on the web in the previous six months.
Credit-card account management and home banking took the second and third spots, with 36% and 35% of consumers conducting transactions, respectively.
Clothes, shoes, accessories and books were also popular online purchases.
Nachi Lolla, research director, commerce, Nielsen Online, said: “Most consumers see online retail as a primary benefit of the internet.
“The sheer convenience of being able to comparison shop from your home or office has become all but irresistible. Possible early concerns about online security have been sufficiently addressed, and consistent on-time delivery and reasonable shipping costs have bolstered consumer confidence. The challenge for retailers is no longer how to lure shoppers online, but how to differentiate their brand among all others.”
Earlier this year, a report from the Review Centre found that online shoppers are abandoning their baskets before buying because of website complications (see Complicated Websites Turn Off Online Shoppers).
Paul Nadin, founder of www.reviewcentre.com, said issues such as websites taking too long to load and not stocking specific products were some of the frustrations stopping consumers from buying.
Recent research carried out by Ball State University and ExactTarget said that 18 to 34-year-olds claim they are more likely to be influenced to make purchases based on e-mail marketing messages and direct mail than marketing messages on social networks (see Younger People Prefer Email Ads)
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