E-Commerce
...f of the online shopping population (47%). With older consumers starting to click the "Buy Now" button, the percentage of younger shoppers is expected to fall to 19 percent. Average Incomes More Representative of America As a larger percentage of middle-income Americans begin shopping online, Jupiter expects the average household income of online shoppers to drop from over $70,000 in 2001 to less than $65,000 by 2006. Nearly 50 percent of new online shoppers between 2002 and 2006 will have household incomes of between $30,000 and $75,000. A Clear Path for Online Travel It’s a rule of business that knowing your customer is the first step to meeting their needs and expectations. Over the next four years, the number of Internet shoppers will grow (as well as gray). The average household income for these new shoppers will decrease. These predictions help draw a flight path for where the online travel marketplace needs to go. In 2001, one out of every three dollars spent online went to buy travel. For this dominance to continue, online travel providers need to keep up with the changing needs of their customers. Offering the best price will always be important, but ease of use, service options, choice and ensuring customer satisfaction with travel plans are going to matter more. SOURCES 1. Jupiter Media Metrix's press releases are available at www.jmm.com. 2. eMarketer research finds that there were 445 million people online worldwide at the end of 2001, of which 119 million, or 27 percent were located in the United States. By 2004, there will be 165.5 million U.S. Internet users, accounting for 23 percen...