Americans increase their online shopping, reading reviews and value opinions shared online
NEW YORK, Nov. 19, 2010—While some stores differentiate themselves based on prices, others attract customers through unparalleled service, or uniquely trained sales personnel. As Americans increase their online shopping and their reading of product reviews and discussions online, will the in-store shopping experience ultimately become obsolete?
These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,258 adults surveyed online between September 1 and 3, 2010 by Harris Interactive.
When asked if, over the past year, the amount of time spent doing various activities online has changed, one quarter of online adults say that they have increased their time spent shopping (24%) online, as well as their time spent reading product reviews (25%). The age differences here may indicate this trend will continue, as approximately three in ten younger online adults, aged 18-34, say they have increased time spent doing both of these activities (30% and 28%, respectively), compared to fewer than a quarter older online adults, 55 and up, who say the same (22% and 23%, respectively).
The Changing Art of the Sell
The data suggest that not only are Americans heading online to actually make purchases, but that they are being convinced of what to buy (or not buy) online as well. Over half of online Americans say that when using social media, they prefer to listen to others share their opinions rather than give their own (53%), and, even more telling, six in ten online adults say they value the opinions other people share on social media (60%). Although greater numbers of adults who use the Internet seem to go online to hear what others have to say, over a quarter say they have used social media as an outlet to rant or rave about a company, brand or product (28%), as well.
The Effects of Change
While online shopping can afford consumers with side-by-side price comparisons, countless product reviews, suggestions and opinions, is there also something lost in the experience? When asked to think about their life and relationships in general, over half of online Americans say that they have had less face-to-face contact with friends recently (54%) and just under a third say they feel lonelier now, than they did previously (31%). As with the increasing use of online features, younger online adults are experiencing these feelings at greater rates than are older online adults—over half of those 18-34 say they now have less face-to-face contact with friends (56%), compared to fewer than half of adults 55 and older (49%), and 36% of those 18-34 say they feel lonelier now, compared to just a quarter of those 55 and older who agree (26%).
So what?
While the Internet may provide tools and services which can educate consumers, potentially helping them to get the best products for their money, there may be something lost in translation through the solitary experience of communicating and shopping online. As with many new developments, time will reveal the best practices for adoption and use, working to both solve an issue or improve a system, while also providing users with an enjoyable and beneficial experience.
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TABLE 1A
LIFE AND RELATIONSHIPS
”Thinking about your life and relationships in general, please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with each of the following statements.”
Base: All online U.S. adults
|
|
|
Agree (NET)
|
Strongly agree
|
Somewhat agree
|
Disagree (NET)
|
Somewhat disagree
|
Strongly disagree
|
Not applicable
|
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
|
Recently, I have had less face-to-face contact with friends.
|
54
|
21
|
33
|
42
|
26
|
16
|
4
|
|
|
I find I keep in touch with more friends now than in the past.
|
56
|
21
|
35
|
40
|
29
|
11
|
4
|
|
|
I know what’s going on with many of my friends and acquaintances, but I don’t interact with them personally or individually.
|
58
|
15
|
43
|
39
|
27
|
12
|
4
|
|
|
I feel more connected to people now than I did previously.
|
57
|
18
|
39
|
39
|
29
|
10
|
4
|
|
|
I feel lonelier now than I did previously.
|
31
|
11
|
20
|
63
|
29
|
35
|
6
|
|
|
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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TABLE 1B
LIFE AND RELATIONSHIPS
”Thinking about your life and relationships in general, please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with each of the following statements.”
Summary of those saying “strongly agree” or “somewhat agree”
Base: All online U.S. adults
|
|
|
Total
|
Total Uses Social Media
|
Total Does Not Use Social Media
|
Age
|
Gender
|
|
|
18-34
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35-44
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45-54
|
55+
|
Male
|
Female
|
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
|
Recently, I have had less face-to-face contact with friends.
|
54
|
55
|
49
|
56
|
55
|
57
|
49
|
55
|
53
|
|
|
I find I keep in touch with more friends now than in the past.
|
56
|
58
|
43
|
63
|
56
|
51
|
52
|
53
|
60
|
|
|
I know what’s going on with many of my friends and acquaintances, but I don’t interact with them personally or individually.
|
58
|
60
|
44
|
60
|
60
|
55
|
54
|
57
|
58
|
|
|
I feel more connected to people now than I did previously.
|
57
|
59
|
43
|
63
|
54
|
54
|
53
|
53
|
61
|
|
|
I feel lonelier now than I did previously.
|
31
|
32
|
25
|
36
|
27
|
33
|
26
|
33
|
29
|
|
|
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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TABLE 2A
CHANGE IN TIME SPENT ONLINE
“Over the past year, how, if at all, has the amount of
time you spend doing each of the following things
online changed?”
Base: All online U.S. adults
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|
|
Increased (NET)
|
Increased significantly
|
Increased somewhat
|
Has not changed
|
Decreased (NET)
|
Decreased somewhat
|
Decreased significantly
|
Not applicable
|
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
|
Shopping
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24
|
5
|
19
|
50
|
17
|
12
|
5
|
9
|
|
|
Posting/uploading photos
|
22
|
6
|
16
|
41
|
11
|
7
|
4
|
26
|
|
|
Reading newspapers/current events
|
26
|
7
|
19
|
51
|
12
|
8
|
4
|
11
|
|
|
Posting or commenting on friends’ blogs
|
14
|
3
|
11
|
33
|
10
|
5
|
4
|
43
|
|
|
Posting information on my own blog(s)
|
8
|
3
|
6
|
27
|
10
|
6
|
4
|
55
|
|
|
Viewing friends’/acquaintances’ info and/or photos on social networking sites
|
34
|
9
|
25
|
34
|
8
|
5
|
3
|
23
|
|
|
Reading product reviews
|
25
|
6
|
20
|
51
|
9
|
6
|
3
|
15
|
|
|
Posting comments/reviews about brands, products or services
|
13
|
3
|
10
|
43
|
9
|
6
|
4
|
35
|
|
|
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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TABLE 2B
CHANGE IN TIME SPENT ONLINE
“Over the past year, how, if at all, has the amount of time you spend doing each of the following things online changed?”
Summary of those saying “increased significantly” or “increased somewhat”
Base: All online U.S. adults
|
|
|
Total
|
Total Uses Social Media
|
Total Does Not Use Social Media
|
Age
|
Education
|
|
|
18-34
|
35-44
|
45-54
|
55+
|
H.S. or less
|
Some college
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College grad +
|
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
|
Shopping
|
24
|
25
|
20
|
30
|
22
|
20
|
22
|
22
|
24
|
28
|
|
|
Posting/uploading photos
|
22
|
23
|
10
|
27
|
25
|
19
|
13
|
18
|
23
|
25
|
|
|
Reading newspapers/current events
|
26
|
25
|
29
|
26
|
27
|
26
|
25
|
20
|
27
|
32
|
|
|
Posting or commenting on friends’ blogs
|
14
|
16
|
1
|
16
|
14
|
17
|
9
|
12
|
16
|
15
|
|
|
Posting information on my own blog(s)
|
8
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