Kikabink News

As quoted in Clickz, research firm Javelin Strategy & Research predicts that nearly 20 percent of all online purchases during the holiday season will be paid for using alternative payment methods.

In its report, “2008 Online Retail Payments Forecast”, the research firm quoted such alternatives as prepaid or gift cards, eBay’s PayPal, and eBillMe, an online banking service, as being major winners over the holiday period.

Evidently, the ‘credit crunch’ will see online shoppers to cut down on their use of bank-issued credit cards, while increasing their use of store-branded credit cards and alternative payment methods.

Of the $42.8 billion expected to be spent online during the holiday season, Javelin estimates that or $7.8 billion or 18 percent will be paid using alternative payment methods. By 2012, this is expected to increase to one-third of all online transactions.

Source: Enid Burns, “Consumers Want to Pay Now for Online Purchases, Not Later”, The ClickZ Network, November 11, 2008

Research conducted by JupiterResearch for BuzzLogic indicates that blog readers tend to respond to ads on blogs, with 40 percent of people reading blogs taking action as a result of viewing an ad on a blog, and 50 percent of frequent blog readers taking action.

Of the action taken, 17 percent read product reviews online; 16 percent sought out more information on a product or service; and 16 percent visited a manufacturer or retailer Web site.

Perhaps not so surprisingly, 25 percent of the blog readers (people who read at least one blog per month) said they trusted ads on a blog, compared with 19 percent who trusted ads on social networking sites.

The survey also found that consumers are influenced by blogs at the moment of purchase decision. According to BuzzLogic and JupiterResearch, blogs play a greater role than social networks because bloggers establish themselves as an authority on a topic, particularly in niche areas, and create a relationship with the consumer.

Source: Enid Burns, “Study: Blogs Influence Purchases More Than Social Sites”, The ClickZ Network, October 28, 2008

According to JupiterResearch blog readership has increased at a rapid pace over the past four years, growing by a mighty 300 percent per month.

The idea that blog readership has increased substantially in recent years contrasts with indications that blogging itself has waned. See my article, “Is Blogging In Decline?”

It could be that more people are reading fewer blogs… with those ‘fewer blogs’ being, in turn, the 20 percent of blogs that are actually active. Yep, it’s that 80-20 rule again…

Source: Enid Burns, “Study: Blogs Influence Purchases More Than Social Sites”, The ClickZ Network, October 28, 2008

A report from Point Topic on the share of world broadband subscribers in the second quarter of 2008 reveals that Western Europe is the region with the most broadband subscribers.

Broadband use varies from region to region as follows:

• Western Europe: 26.19 percent
• North America: 22.46 percent
• South and East Asia: 21.98 percent
• Asia-Pacific: 15.89 percent
• Latin America: 5.69 percent
• Eastern Europe: 4.96 percent
• Middle East and Africa: 2.83 percent

Point Topic’s findings are based on data provided by resellers and primary suppliers of DSL lines, cable modems, and fiber-to-the-home services.

Source: Enid Burns, “China Surpasses U.S. Broadband by Population”, The ClickZ Network, October 14, 2008

A report from Point Topic indicates that China probably has more broadband subscribers than the United States right now.

In June 2008 the U.S. had a total of 76.9 million broadband lines, while China had 76 million. However, based on the growth rate of broadband uptake in China - compared with a decline in U.S. broadband uptake - Point Topic believes China’s broadband subscribers probably overtook those in the U.S. sometime in August.

Point Topic’s findings are based on statistics and estimates provided by the primary suppliers of DSL lines, cable modems, and fiber-to-the-home services, along with data from service providers that resell products provided by such primary suppliers.

Source: Enid Burns, “China Surpasses U.S. Broadband by Population”, The ClickZ Network, October 14, 2008