"Follow the leader" is a popular child's game. In this era of
technology entrepreneurs and risk-taking investors, a key question is about the next
killer app. Sometimes, the veterans can lead the way, if only because they have less fear
about trying new things.
Internet veterans are revealing several facts about themselves, and possibly about the
future of the Internet. We reviewed responses from a nationally balanced
sample of 933 technology users who use their
workplace PCs to access the Internet and 1,552 users accessing from home as part of the
Technology User Profile® (TUP) Mid-Year 1999 update.
Several facts emerged. First, people who have used the Internet for
4 or more years are much more likely to be using the Internet actively
than the newest users. Second, experienced Internet users have reached out
to a broader number of applications on the Internet, unlike the newbies
who tend to focus on one or two uses. Third, 5-year veterans are more than
28 times as likely to buy consumer electronics over the web than
first-year users.
| Selected activities - Workplace Internet use |
5-year Internet veterans indexed to 1-year
Internet newbies |
4 and 5-year Internet veterans indexed to 1
and 2-year Internet newbies |
| Purchase consumer electronics (e.g. audio/video equipment) |
28.3 times as many |
14.8 times as many |
| Purchase PC/Mac software |
5.7 times as many |
3.1 times as many |
| Purchase other peripheral products (not printers) |
5.6 times as many |
3.1 times as many |
| Participate in online auctions |
4.7 times as many |
2.1 times as many |
| Purchase printers |
4.4 times as many |
2.2 times as many |
| Download music or streaming audio/video |
3.7 times as many |
2.0 times as many |
| Purchase consumer services/products (e.g. travel/
flowers/ clothing/ books/ CDs/ etc.) |
3.5 times as many |
2.3 times as many |
| Use financial services (e.g. home banking/ stock
trading/ etc.) |
2.8 times as many |
2.4 times as many |
©
MetaFacts, Inc., 2000. Technology User Profile® is a registered
service mark of MetaFacts Inc., 2000.
The Technology User Profile market research information service is based
on extensive primary research selected and balanced to represent the
American population - including technology users and non-technology users.
Drawn from surveys of 100,000 respondents per year reporting on over 250 questions, it
is the most comprehensive total market technology study available.
TUPdates are brief summaries of information contained in Technology User
Profile. These are released first to current TUP subscribers, then some are
later posted to this website. |
