Online shopping still not bringing in the crowds

Internet shoppers still represent a tiny minority of global consumers, with only 14 per cent willing to spend online, according to Datamonitor's third annual survey.

Datamonitor looked at the shopping habits of consumers in the US and Europe and also gauged their attitudes towards the web and ecommerce. The survey found consumers can be easily separated into five distinct categories according to their habits.

Resistors, the largest single group, represent 50 per cent of consumers who do not use the internet at all. Agnostics represent nine per cent and do use the net, but not for shopping. Phantoms make up 27 per cent and use the net to research purchases but do their shopping on the high street.

Finally the last two categories, Moderates and Internet Globetrotters represent just 14 per cent of online shoppers. Favourite purchases include books, cosmetics, food, holidays, music.

The US is leading the way with 36 per cent of Moderates and Internet Globetrotters. Sweden has the largest share in Europe, with 26 per cent, followed by the UK with 21 per cent and Germany with 19 per cent. Of the other countries surveyed, France, Italy and Spain bring down the average with nine per cent each.