According to a Harris Interactive poll, US Internet users are now spending an average of 13 hours a week online.
20% of adult Internet users are online for two hours or less per week. 24% spends 3 to 5 hours a week online, 6% 6 to 7 hours and more than a quarter (27%) 8 to 15 hours.
This means that 21% of US adult Internet users are online for more than 6 hours a week (with 14% more than 24 hours!).
To put these percentages in perspective some ‘US Internet usage history’.
Harris Interactive writes that over the years the average hours spent online in the US have increased from 7 hours in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002, to between 8 and 9 hours in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.
In 2007, it increased to 11 hours. In 2008 Internet users were online for 14 hours a week, double what it was from 1999 to 2002.
The age group that spends the most time online is that of the 30-39 years old. They spend an average of 18 hours online per week.
Next come those aged 25-29 with 17 hours and 40-49, also with 17 hours.
Online shopping and the influence of the recession
The poll further found that half of the surveyed Internet users bought something online ‘in the last month’.
In the 30-39 age group 62% bought online and in the 40-49 age group 56% purchased goods or services via Internet in the last month.
Harris Interactive also says that the number of adults online hasn’t changed a lot since 2007 and 2008 in the US.
However, the number of adults that use the Internet at home has increased to 76%, in comparison to 75% in 2008, 70% in 2006, and 66% in 2005.
Harris Interactive sees different reasons for the growth in Internet usage in 2008 and 2009.
One of them is the influence of the recession. As the company says: “going online is free; going out usually costs money”.
But, still, that hasn’t stopped many US Internet users to buy online.
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