London, 21 January 2008 – New research from the European Interactive Advertising Association (EIAA) highlights that 40% of all European online shoppers have changed their mind about which brand to buy following research on the web. Brits are the most likely to be influenced by information on the internet (49%) while Italians are the least likely to change their mind (27%).

 

The EIAA Mediascope Europe 2007 Study, managed by SPA and conducted by Synovate, explores the trends and spending patterns of Europe’s online shoppers. 

 

 

Over half (59%) of online shoppers cite that websites of well known brands are an important source of information when researching or considering a product or service and search engines are considered more useful (76%) than personal recommendations (72%).  61% find price comparison websites a useful source of information, while 57% look to customer website reviews to help them choose.   

 

The study highlights that European consumers are most likely to change their mind as a result of online research when it comes to buying electrical goods - 59% changed their minds on brand - and 43% changed their mind when it came to booking holidays and travel.

 

Alison Fennah, Executive Director of EIAA comments, “In comparing e-commerce behaviour across Europe, it’s clear that as markets develop in online sophistication, shoppers consume a wider variety of marketing messages which influence their brand purchase decision. In response, marketers must develop ever more effective engagement strategies for their consumers.”

 

A massive 80% of European internet users have bought a product or service online, up 3% since 2006 and double the 2004 figure. In fact, these European online shoppers made 1.3 billion purchases in just a six month period, spending an average of €747 each online.

 

The percentage of online shoppers buying particular products and services has increased significantly since 2006 with the number purchasing mobile phones online increasing by 33%, financial products up 22%, home furnishings up 18%, car accessories up 13% and holidays up 11%. Both electrical goods and cinema tickets have seen a 10% growth in the number of online shoppers buying online.

 

Overall, the most popular online purchase is travel tickets (54%), closely followed by holidays (42%), books (40%), concert/theatre/festival tickets (38%), clothes (33%) and electrical goods (33%). 

 

Top 10 most popular product/services bought online	2007
Travel Tickets	54%
Holidays	42%
Books	40%
Concert/Theatre/Festival tickets	38%
Clothes	33%
Electrical Goods	33%
CDs	23%
Cinema tickets	23%
DVDs	21%
Music Downloads	19%

 

 

The research highlights the gender differences of online shoppers with female shoppers focusing on clothes (40% vs. 27% of men) and holidays (46% vs. 38% of men) while their male counterparts go for electrical goods (39% vs. 27% of women) and CDs (25% vs. 20% of women).

 

European online shoppers are heavy users of the internet.  84% of online shoppers go online via a broadband connection (compared to 70% of internet users who have not bought a product/service online) and on average they use the internet on 5.7 days each week, spending an average of 12.3 hours online (above the European average of 11.9) and over half (51%) log onto the internet every day. 

 

 “Our research highlights just how powerful the internet has become in influencing purchase decisions amongst consumers,” says Alison Fennah, Executive Director of the EIAA.  “Ever increasing numbers are taking advantage of the cost savings and convenience that online shopping offers and are using the internet in their purchase decisions, from research right through to end payment. Marketers need to be aware of how powerful online marketing can be in this process and ensure they engage with the right customers at the right time.”

 

With over 7,000 people across Europe interviewed, The EIAA Mediascope Europe Study is one of the most comprehensive pieces of research available into how people allocate their time across media in Europe and how consumers use the internet for content, communication and commerce.

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The study involved 7,008 random telephone interviews with over 1,000 respondents in the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the Nordics respectively and 500 respondents in Belgium and the Netherlands respectively. Interviews were conducted throughout September 2007.

 

The European Interactive Advertising Association (www.eiaa.net) is a unique pan- European trade organisation for sellers of interactive media. The primary objectives of the EIAA are to champion and to improve the understanding of the value of online advertising as a medium, to grow the European interactive advertising market by proving its effectiveness, thus increasing its share of total advertising investment. Its members are currently AD Europe, AdLINK Group, AOL Europe, Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions, Tiscali, Yahoo! Europe, LYCOS Network Europe, Atlas & DRIVEpm, Doubleclick, wunderloop, MTV Networks Europe and PREMIUM PUBLISHERS ONLINE. It is chaired by Michael Kleindl, Managing Partner of Valkiria Network. The EIAA members’ networks account for over 80% of the European online audience.

Alison Fennah                                                   Charlotte Holder/Rebecca Williams

Executive Director                                              Red Consultancy

EIAA                                                                      Tel: 020 7025 6500

Tel: 01536 712710                                            Email: charlotte.holder@redconsultancy.com

Email: afennah@eiaa.net                                Rebecca.williams@redconsultancy.com