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The Harris Poll® #4, January 21, 2004
Online Activity Grows as More People Use Internet for More
Purposes
Biggest increase over last three years is in those seeking
information about products and services
_____________________________________
by Humphrey Taylor
A new Harris Poll finds that the Internet continues to become more useful and
more used. While the total Internet population is rising more slowly than it was
in the late 90s, the proportion of those with broadband is rising much faster
(Harris Poll of January 14, 2004) and more people are using the Internet for a
wider variety of purposes.
Sending or receiving email is still, by a wide margin, the most common online
activity. It is followed by research for work or school, looking for news
including the weather, gathering information about products or services and
looking for information about hobbies or special interest.
These were also the most common online activities three years ago. The
biggest change over the last three years is that among the (now much larger)
online population, the frequency of email use has declined somewhat while those
using the Internet for many other purposes have increased.
These are the results of a nationwide telephone survey conducted by Harris
Interactive between December 10 and 16, 2003 among a sample of 729 adults who
are online from home, work, school, library or other location. In total, 69% of
U.S. adults are now online.
The proportions of those online who use the Internet "very
often" or "often" for the most common activities are, in
descending order of use:
- Sending or receiving email (67%)
- Doing research for work or school (45%)
- Getting information about products and services (41%)
- Getting information about hobbies or special interests (36%)
- Checking news, weather, etc. (40%)
- Surfing the web to explore new and different sites (32%)
- Shopping online (22%)
- Obtaining information on local amusements and activities (19%)
- Paying bills (18%)
- Downloading or playing games (18%)
- Financial management and investing (15%)
- Making travel plans or arrangements (15%)
- Obtaining information about health or disease (15%)
Biggest changes in the last three years
Given that the number of people who are online has increased over the last
three years (from 63% in 2000 to 69% by December 2003), the numbers of
people doing all of the activities on the list has increased also. And the
percentages of those online who are doing most of these activities often have
also increased. The biggest increases are in the percentages of online adults
who are doing each of the following "very often" or "often":
|
% |
8 |
24 |
33 |
19 |
16 |
1 |
|
To shop online |
% |
7 |
15 |
21 |
20 |
36 |
1 |
|
To pay bills |
% |
6 |
12 |
12 |
9 |
60 |
* |
|
To obtain information on local amusements and activities |
% |
6 |
13 |
31 |
24 |
25 |
1 |
|
To download or play games |
% |
5 |
13 |
16 |
15 |
49 |
1 |
|
For financial management and investing |
% |
6 |
10 |
15 |
17 |
53 |
1 |
|
To make travel plans and reservations |
% |
3 |
12 |
27 |
25 |
33 |
* |
|
To obtain information about health or diseases |
% |
5 |
10 |
35 |
21 |
29 |
1 |
|
To find and download software |
% |
4 |
6 |
17 |
26 |
47 |
* |
|
To search for a job |
% |
2 |
7 |
12 |
17 |
61 |
1 |
|
To take courses |
% |
2 |
4 |
8 |
10 |
75 |
* |
|
To participate in chat groups |
% |
* |
4 |
7 |
13 |
74 |
1 |
|
To make phone calls |
% |
2 |
1 |
5 |
4 |
87 |
1 |
Note: * = Less than 0.5%.
TABLE 2
CHANGES IN FREQUENT USE OF INTERNET FOR 19 DIFFERENT PURPOSES
"Thinking about what you do online, how often do you use
the Internet, the World Wide Web or an online service . . . . – very often,
often, sometimes, rarely, or never?"
Base: Adult online users
| |
Use "Very Often" or "Often" |
| |
Dec. 2003 |
Dec. 2000 |
Percentage Point Increase/ Decrease 2000 -
2003 |
|
To send or receive email |
67% |
74% |
-7 |
|
To do research for work or school |
45% |
37% |
+8 |
|
To check on news updates, weather, etc. |
40% |
38% |
+2 |
|
To gather information about products and services |
41% |
25% |
+16 |
|
To get information about a hobby of special interest |
36% |
34% |
+2 |
|
To surf to explore new and different sites |
32% |
24% |
+8 |
|
To shop online |
22% |
N/A |
N/A |
|
To pay bills |
18% |
N/A |
N/A |
|
To obtain information on local amusements and activities |
19% |
11% |
+8 |
|
To download or play games |
18% |
13% |
+5 |
|
For financial management and investing |
15% |
14% |
+1 |
|
To make travel plans and reservations |
15% |
11% |
+4 |
|
To obtain information about health or diseases |
15% |
13% |
+2 |
|
To find and download software |
10% |
N/A |
N/A |
|
To search for a job |
10% |
N/A |
N/A |
|
To take courses |
6% |
3% |
+3 |
|
To participate in chat groups |
5% |
6% |
-1 |
|
To make phone calls |
3% |
N/A |
N/A |
Methodology
The Harris Poll® was conducted by telephone within the United
States between December 10 and 16, 2003 among a nationwide cross-section of 729
adults (ages 18+) who say that they use the Internet at home, work, school,
library or some other location. Figures for age, sex, race, education, number of
adults and number of voice/telephone lines in the household were weighted where
necessary to align them with their actual proportions in the population.
In theory, with a probability sample of this size, one can say with 95
percent certainty that the results have a statistical precision of ±4
percentage points of what they would be if the entire adult population had been
polled with complete accuracy. Unfortunately, there are several other possible
sources of error in all polls or surveys that are probably more serious than
theoretical calculations of sampling error. They include refusals to be
interviewed (non-response), question wording and question order, interviewer
bias, weighting by demographic control data and screening (e.g., for likely
voters). It is impossible to quantify the errors that may result from these
factors.
These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National
Council on Public Polls.
____________________________________________
J20229
Q1965
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