Conquering This New World
Before we can begin to conquer this new world known as the Internet, we have to identify its key parameters. As of 2007, the following is what we know about Internet usage:
- In the last two years, over a billion people around the world have access to the Internet.
- Internet users can be split almost evenly down the middle between men and women. They are distributed across all age groups from early teens up to the 65-plus age brackets.
- The official language of cyberspace is English and roughly two-thirds of all Web pages are in that language. However, it is important to note that more than half of all Internet users have a language other than English as their native language. As a result, many multinational companies operating in the global market have multilingual functions on their site.
- The vast majority of Internet users send out e-mail. Many of them also shop online and do research on products, weighing their options carefully before deciding to buy. They can either make their purchase online or at a bricks-and-mortar store, but they tend to give more consideration to establishments that they can access on the Web.
- Entertainment and recreation are two other big reasons why people are online. To illustrate, online gambling accounted for over $15 billion in 2006.
- As consumers, Internet users want to be informed. Through the Internet, consumers gain a thorough understanding of the facts and figures involved before entering into a decision-making situation, say, at the car dealer, supermarket or doctor's office.
- Consumers expect a high level of customer service and support from Web sites on the Internet. They also want to be able to contact online businesses easily when they need to, and they expect a prompt response.
