The “E-Shopping-Trends 2006” study by novomind comes up with important findings for any internet shop operator. Among other things it reveals that virtually one third of women questioned shop on the internet due to the fact that they are bored or do not have anything better to do. Thus, about half of them start out on their shopping trips from their sofas at home. Only one tenth of female buyers go shopping during their midday break.
The items which come first on the shopping list are books (89 percent), followed by clothing (57 percents) and furniture (21 percent). There is an important conclusion to be drawn by shop owners: additional entertainment features in the shop may even increase its attractiveness to women.
More than fifty percent of women surveyed prefer internet shops offering a variety of products provided by different producers and merchants. Shops specializing on a very limited range of products are not very popular with their female clients. Nine out of ten women turn their backs on these jobs. For comparison: forty percent of men prefer a more limited and specialized range of products. Reason for these differences are different priorities. Whereas almost one quarter of women is attracted by exclusive products and curiosities, male customers look for electronics products such as digital cameras. The different buying habits are also reflected by different payment transactions.
Among women only one out of three is ready to pay by credit card on the internet, whereas half of the men questioned are willing to do so. The main argument cited against cashless payments: seventy percent of women think that the transfer of credit card numbers represents the most serious security problem during online shopping. That is why most women prefer payment by invoice (80 percent). A similar importance is attached to data protection. Thus, half of female clients expect their data to remain confidential and not to be forwarded to any third parties.
The “E-Shopping-Trend 2006” study was carried out by novomind in co-operation with the Wirtschaftswoche and the Handelsblatt magazines in June 2006 and involved 506 end consumers. 