Consumer Satisfaction With E-Commerce at 85 Percent

According to a “Breadbox” study by Odyssey, L.P., 85 percent of consumers who have already engaged in e-commerce are “very satisfied” with their online shopping experiences.

Based upon a random telephone survey of 3,000 U.S. households, the San Francisco, California-based market researcher also discovered that three million new U.S. households will make their first online purchase in the next six months.

“The overwhelming satisfaction levels of current online purchasers is a strong indication that these consumers will continue to shop online — and could increase the frequency of their purchasing,” said Nick Donatiello, Odyssey’s chief executive.

Reasons For Not Buying Online

The study also showed that among the 45 percent of online households who have not made an online purchase, the two biggest reasons given were concerns about credit card security and a general distrust of the Internet.

Nonetheless, more than 50 percent of these households said that they would consider making online purchases if e-tailers would be willing to assure their privacy and security. Additionally, they said that such incentives as money-back guarantees, free shipping and handling, and offering lower prices than brick-and-mortar stores would definitely help change their minds.

Building Trust

Odyssey’s study concluded that even more online households would begin purchasing goods and services via the Internet ife-tailers just took the following steps:

Keep credit card information on file so that the consumer only has to input the information once.

Promise not to sell their personal information.

Provide pre-addressed return packaging. Strong Linkage Developing

Meanwhile, an unrelated study conducted by Burke Entertainment Research for MTV Networks and Turner Entertainment Networks found that the developing linkage between the Internet and TV could also profoundly affect the future of e-commerce.

The study documented a strong push-pull effect of transferring eyeballs between the two formats. In one instance, it found that about 66 percent of those watching Public Television Channel WETA in Washington, D.C. have gone to the network’s Web site for more information about the program that they were viewing.

Conversely, 42 percent of respondents said that they have watched a television program after seeing information on that network’s Web site.

Simultaneous Viewing

The study also discovered that almost 39 percent of those online households surveyed said they have watched a TV channel while surfing its Web site — thereby underscoring the punch a network’s site can deliver.

Some industry observers feel that the findings foreshadow ane-commerce future where all media will converge into one mammoth e-marketplace, not necessarily as rivals — but as partners.