There is a widely held perception that the world wide web will have a profound long-term effect on leisure time habits. This appears to be confirmed by the February 2003 Internet Report from the UCLA Center For Communication Policy which identifies a decline in offline shopping and TV viewing among online users.
The effect on TV viewing It has long been assumed that increasing use of the web would impact on television consumption and this was backed up by a recent Yankee Group study (see Low Income US Homes Watch Most TV, Finds Yankee Group) which found that TV sets were less likely to be found switched on in web households than in non-internet homes.
The UCLA report goes further and seeks to find a correlation between the extent of internet exposure and television viewing. The results showed little shift among new users but over time, it can be seen that individuals gravitate towards the internet.
Effect Of Internet Usage On US TV Viewing | |||
Less Time | Same | More Time | |
New Users (<1 Year) | 15.7% | 69.7% | 14.6% |
Very Experienced Users (6+ Years) | 38.2% | 60.3% | 1.5% |
Source: UCLA Center For Communication Policy, February 2003 |
Online shopping The net has also had a discernible impact on shopping habits with two-thirds of those surveyed admitting that they have cut back on in-store purchases since they began buying online. The report claims that the percentage of internet users shopping this way declined in 2002 but average annual spend rose above the $100 mark again. Consumers also seem to be more relaxed about online privacy and security issues.
US Adult Online Purchasing | |||
2000 | 2001 | 2002 | |
% Of Internet Users Who Have Shopped Online | 45.1 | 50.9 | 39.7 |
Average Amount Spent Annually ($) | 113.43 | 70.21 | 100.70 |
Source: UCLA Center For Communication Policy, February 2003 |
Level Of Concern About Online Privacy And E-Commerce Among US Internet Users | ||
2001 | 2002 | |
Not At All Concerned | 5.5% | 11.2% |
Somewhat Concerned | 28.8% | 34.5% |
Very Concerned | 65.8% | 54.3% |
Source: UCLA Center For Communication Policy, February 2003 |