INMA_A01.QXD

An additional factor relating to consumer Internet usage is the type of Internet access.

Some countries now have significant levels of high-speed, always-on, broadband access.

For example, in the UK, over a quarter of households have broadband access (which

exceeds dial-up access) and in South Korea over three-quarters of households have it.

Broadband access permits more sophisticated sites and streaming media such as music and

video. Usage of the Internet also tends to increase because of the ‘always-on’ connection.

Other digital access platforms

Although we focus on Internet usage in this book, technology offerings for consumers

are in constant flux, so e-marketers need to assess how well new technologies fulfil their

objectives. Already, interactive digital TV and mobile Internet access are used by more

people than the web (Figure 2.16). These technologies are studied in more detail in

Chapter 3.

2 Consumers influenced by using the online channel

Next we must look at the extent to which consumers are influenced by online media – a

key aspect of buyer behaviour. We saw at the start of Chapter 1 that many Internet users

now research products online, but they may buy through offline channels such as

phone or in store. Research summarised in the AOL-sponsored BrandNewWorld (2004)

study showed that:

1 The Internet is a vital part of the research process, with 73% of Internet users agreeing

that they now spend longer researching products. The purchase process is generally

now more considered and is more convoluted.

CHAPTER 2· THE INTERNET MICRO-ENVIRONMENT

Figure 2.16UK rate of adoption of different digital media

Source: MORI Technology Tracker, September 2006. See http://www.mori.com/technology/techtracker.shtmlfor details

Percentage

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

83%

Jan ’97Jan ’98Jan ’99Jan ’00Jan ’01Jan ’02Jan ’03Jan ’04Jan ’05Sep ’05

Key

Use a mobile phone Use Internet anywhere Use digital TV

60%

60%

MORI Technology Tracker January 1997 – September 2005

Base: circa 4,000 interviews per month

* Jan 2001 question wording changes