Christmas offerings, including a newly integrated RMI shopping platform,
first-time e-tailers and encouraging survey results, pose the greatest ever propensity to shop online.
Yahoo! custom research points to more online shopping this Christmas
Yahoo! UK & Ireland anticipates the biggest ever e-Christmas with recent research showing 64% of its 10.4 million UK & Ireland users are likely to buy online in quarter four*.
Research into users' online shopping trends also shows that nearly three-quarters of Yahoo! UK & Ireland's users have shopped online in the past*. Online shopping is set to see its most popular period this festive season as the number of Yahoo!'s users has grown at a rate of 26% since August* and their time spent online having increased by 24%*.
The cost advantage of shopping online, rather than offline, remains one of the top reasons for users to shop online, with 70% of Yahoo! UK & Ireland users citing this as the reason that they use an online supplier*.
Convenience is still one of the main attractions to the Internet with 63% of users citing that 'It's more convenient than going to the shops' and 58% of users stating 'ease of ordering' is the most important factor in their choice of which retailer to shop with*. In answer to retailer and consumer demand for Yahoo! UK & Ireland to provide an easier and more convenient access to online shopping, Yahoo! has launched RMI, 'Remote Merchant Integration,' this Christmas. Retail giant Tesco has partnered with Yahoo! UK & Ireland to become the first RMI site up and running for Christmas 2001.
Newly integrated RMI Platform allows easier access for online shopping
RMI allows merchants to integrate on the Yahoo! site rather than be solely hosted on the Yahoo! server. This means no more expensive technical development for the merchant, a greater presence across the Yahoo! network and it allows them to keep the look and functionality of their online store uk.shopping.yahoo.com. RMI will give Yahoo! customers simpler access to more high street shops online. To shop online with RMI linked retailers, all Yahoo! shoppers need to do is click on the retailer's logo and then go straight through to the retailer's own online site.
New Retail Package adopted by leading brands
The multilevel package, which introduces e-tailers to Yahoo!, includes permission based emails, a new homepage ad format, presence in Yahoo! Shopping and targeted inventory across the site. Complementing existing brands like Carphone Warehouse and Thorntons, who have already signed-up to the package, Yahoo! UK & Ireland welcomes, for the first time ever, high street names including John Lewis, MFI, Argos, Interflora, Boots, Littlewoods and Kays.
Yahoo! UK & Ireland Commercial Director, Lee Thompson comments, 'The combination of Yahoo!'s market leading reach, the sophistication of our user base, the trust that the site garners and the newly introduced RMI will enable Yahoo! Shopping to become the number one e-tail destination.'
Trust remains key to online shopping
Yahoo!'s position as the second most trusted website in the UK (after BBC online)*, and being trusted by users nearly twice as much as its nearest direct competitor*, means Yahoo! users will feel more comfortable making online transactions. Just as we have seen historically, trust continues to play a big role in users' propensity to shop online. For those who have not made the online shopping plunge, security is still a deterrent, with 64% stating 'I don't want to give out my personal details online' as the reason that they haven't tried e-shopping*. Wanting to see things before they buy is the second reason that they haven't shopped online, with more than half of users who haven't tried online shopping citing this as the reason*.
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* Further information, Online Survey results from Yahoo! custom research and sources are available in full from the Yahoo! UK & Ireland Press Office on 0207 306 9188. |
