Younger Set Hits Stores With A Click
In the uncharted world of Internet commerce, it’s the youngest shoppers who are blazing trails and establishing trends.
Those are among the findings of a new report by Forrester Research that found 16- to 22-year-old consumers are more inclined to diversify their purchases to include a richer variety of product categories.
They also have developed sophisticated approaches to online shopping, with an eye for deals and convenience.
“Online shopping comes naturally to young consumers,” said Ekaterina O. Walsh, an analyst for Technographics Data & Analysis. “By 2004, a clear majority of young consumers will shop online, compared with 46 percent of adults.”
Here are some findings on the online shopping patterns of young consumers:
* Convenience items -low-cost, low-risk purchases - lead the way, including music, books and apparel. Researched products - high-cost, high-risk - come next, with one in four young shoppers buying computer hardware.
* As with adults, fewer young Net shoppers purchase replenishment goods, such as health products, cosmetics, and grocery items.
* Of those who have been buying online for six months to one year, 21 percent of young consumers have bought PC hardware online, vs. 5 percent of adults; 16 percent have bought consumer electronics online, vs. 10 percent of adults; and 6 percent have bought groceries online, vs. 2 percent of adults.
You don’t need to be an online trendsetter to explore these new, entertaining or helpful Web sites:
* And the winner is …: Here’s a chance to see whether your favorite Web sites are among those judged the best in the business by the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences.
Check out nominees for the 4th Annual Webby Awards, which will be presented May 11. (The entire event will be Webcast beginning at 8:00 p.m. PST.) The awards are being pitched as “the Oscars of the Internet.”
While there, cast your vote for your favorite Web sites in The People’s Voice Awards.
http://www.webbyawards.com
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