온라인 소매업, 계속 큰 폭으로 성장 (eMarketer에서)

eMarketer의 2006. 1. 6 기사 (아래 원문 참조)에 의하면 미국에서 온라인 소매업의 성장세가 계속되고 있다고 한다. 이 기사의 주요 내용은 다음과 같다.

 

- 미국에서 인터넷 이용자의 증가율 (2004년 3.5%, 2005년 3.0%)과 온라인 구매자 증가율 (2004년 8.3%, 2005년 7.0%)은 한 자리 수인데 반해 온라인 매출액은 두 자리 수의 증가율 (2004년  24.2%, 2005년 25.2%, 2006년 21.4%)을 보이고 있다. 2006년 이후, 이와 같은 증가율은 다소 낮아질 것이지만 연평균 20% 정도의 성장은 계속될 것이다. 

 

- 온라인 쇼핑이 증가하는 중요한 이유는 다음과 같은 소비자의 태도 변화로 설명할 수 있다.

   (1) 모든 소비자가 인터넷 쇼핑이 주는 시간의 절약과 편리한 서비스를 선호 (38.2%)

   (2) 오늘날 대부분의 성인들이 인터넷을 수용하고 이에 친숙해 지고 있음 (33.65)

   (3) 인터넷/웹에 익숙한 10대와 청년층의 구매력이 증가 내지 성숙 단계 (25.2%)

 

- 포레스트 리서치의 2005년 5월 조사에 의하면 온라인 구매자 프로파일의 평균과 전체 소비자 프로파일의 평균을 비교해 볼 때, 온라인 구매자가 네 살 정도 젊고 30% 정도 높은 연봉을 받고 있으며 대졸자의 비율이 15% 정도 많고 기술발전에 대해 낙관하는 그룹인 것으로 나타남

 

 

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Online Retail Marches Ever Upward

JANUARY 05, 2006 (eMarketer)

eMarketer estimates that US online retail sales rose by a hefty 25% in 2005, but when it comes to online shopping, the old huckster's line, "You ain't seen nothin' yet, bub," couldn't be truer.

"While the number of new Internet users in the US and the total number of online buyers are both growing at single digit rates, online sales are experiencing double-digit increases," says Jeffrey Grau, eMarketer Senior Analyst and author of the new Retail E-Commerce: Future Trends report. "Credit goes to baby boomers who are increasing their online spending and a cadre of digitally literate young adults who are replacing older Internet shoppers in the e-commerce marketplace. These demographic forces — coupled with the spread of broadband access — are changing the way people shop online and how Web merchants market to them."

Internet retail sales have increased at an annual rate of more 24% for the last two years. Growth will tail off over the next three years but it will remain very robust, averaging around 20% per year.

 

 

"Web merchants responding to a June 2005 survey sponsored by the online trade publication Internet Retailer believe that certain population segments will be instrumental in driving growth in online shopping," says Mr. Grau. "Timesaving convenience, a well-recognized benefit of online shopping, was selected by 38% of respondents. But more telling about the future of retail e-commerce were the second and third most frequently cited growth drivers: greater acceptance and familiarity with the Internet by adults (33.6%) and the maturation and growing buying power of today's Web savvy teens and young adults (25.2%)."

 

 

The real force behind online sales growth is an elite segment of Web buyers.

Forrester Research data shows that Web buyers look very different from average consumers. online buyers compared to average consumers are four years younger, have 30% more household income, are much more likely to have a college degree and are 40% more likely to have a technologically optimistic outlook.

 

 

"The impact of young consumers on e-commerce is visible in the way they share product recommendations over the Internet," says Mr. Grau. "For young consumers who like to hang out in social networks such as MySpace.com or Facebook.com product advice is an incidental part of the chatter that is the main attraction. In contrast with the structured form of product recommendations found on Amazon, this is a fluid and informal way of sharing opinions online about products and brands."

Marketers are exploring ways to tap into the targeted audience delivered by social networks, but this is relatively uncharted terrain. Some retailers have tried to influence virtual communities and ended up hurting themselves, marketing-wise.

Widespread broadband adoption, however, is having an undeniably positive impact on e-commerce. Nielsen//NetRatings found that broadband consumers are likely to spend more dollars online, convert from shoppers to buyers at a higher rate, visit retail Web sites with greater frequency and spend more time online.

 

 

Broadband connectivity is also enabling retailers to deploy visualization and product enhancement tools such as zoom, 360º views, virtual models and product placement within a room. These new tools are helping make shoppers feel more comfortable in online showrooms — and drive sales.

See more of what online sellers have in store for tomorrow's shoppers, read eMarketer's new Retail E-Commerce: Future Trends report today.