In excess of 75pc of Ireland’s online shoppers now make 10pc to 20pc of their monthly purchases on the internet with an average spend of €150, new research reveals.
The research by disposable credit card voucher firm 3V shows that leisure and hobby purchases continue to be the principal driver of online transactions in Ireland.
In the past 12 months, computer accessories and music downloads have risen up the Irish consumer’s online shopping list, alongside the usual CDs, DVDs, holidays, flights and concert tickets.
In terms of music downloads, Radiohead’s In Rainbows album dominated the download charts so far this year, followed by Leona Lewis (Bleeding Love) and Gorillaz.
Some 60pc of Ireland’s online shoppers are male and they mostly spend money on small-value items.
Some 57pc shop online once a month and 14pc admit to weekly spending sprees.
The research found that 67pc of regular male shoppers intend to increase the amount of shopping they do online, and cite discounts, the ability to compare products and prices and check product availability as being the top three advantages to online shopping.
“More and more consumers see online shopping as part of their way of life, with the recent Amarach Life Online 2008 showing that as many as eight people in every 10 have now purchased something online,” explained Keiron Guilfoyle, chief executive of 3V Transaction Services.
“The challenge going forward will be to improve the online shopping experience by providing shoppers with secure ways to pay whilst maintaining ease of shopping online. 3V Vouchers deliver both the security and ease of use in this environment,” Guilfoyle said.
3V’s technology allow consumers to shop online using prepaid vouchers which have a disposable 16-digit VISA number that the shopper inputs just like a credit card. The disposable credit cards can be acquired in shops across Ireland and the UK.
The vouchers are available to people over 16, as long as they have a mobile phone and email address. The vouchers are issued by Permanent TSB in association with VISA.
3V’s research found that 54pc of users already have a laser and credit card and use the vouchers as a complimentary product.
Ease of use and online security, and therefore total control of their money, are cited by younger consumers as reasons to use the company’s technology.
By John Kennedy
