Euro Surfers Spend Time & Money Online

With the largest percentage penetration of broadband in the world, the Europeans are embracing the internet and online shopping.

by Helen Leggatt

45 percent of Internet users in Europe go online every day and, during 2006, spent 11 hours and 20 minutes a week online, an hour and 5 minutes longer than during 2005. Many of those users are shoping online - 78 percent, according to a report sponsored by the European Interactive Advertising Association (EIAA) in association with Synovate.

In 2005, online shopping was 2 percent of the total retail market in Europe and is estimated to be 8 percent of the total retail sales by 2009. Currently, 98 percent of all European online shoppers use the internet during the week, but 82 percent also log on at the weekends. In France this rises to a massive 92 percent.

The report, which included respondents from various European countries such as Britain, Norway, Germany, France and Sweden, also found that over a six month period the British bought the most items (18), yet the Norwegians, who bought under half that amount of goods (7), spent Euro205 ($266) more over the same time period and were the top spenders.

While Spain lagged behind with the least amount of items purchased and the lowest spend, Germany was the most thrifty, buying more items but for far less. Interesting, the report also revealed that 50 percent of German surfers use shopping comparison sites at least once a month, second only to the Dutch (54 percent).

“As consumers further embrace their digital lifestyles, they are becoming more ambitious in what they choose to buy over the internet as well as how much they spend,” says Michael Kleindl, Chairman of the EIAA. “This research demonstrates the increasing trust in the internet amongst consumers to obtain information and buy a growing range of products. More money spent and items bought online shows that consumers are integrating online shopping into their daily lives.”

An executive summary of the EIAA’s report, which looks at how European consumers use the internet for content, communication and commerce, can be found here.