Online Population Passes 200 Million

According to a recent Neilsen/NetRating report, nearly 75 percent or 204.3 million Americans have access to the Internet from their home. This is a nine point increase over the same month last year.

"In just a handful of years, online access has managed to gain the type of traction that took other mediums decades to achieve," said Neilson/NetRatings director, Kenneth Cassar.

Women Maximizing Shopping Tool

Women represent the highest proportion of Web surfers, with eighty-two percent or 34.6 million women between the ages of 35-54 accessing the Internet at home. This escalating female Internet presence was reported as key reason behind the on-line holiday spending upturn. And it’s growing.  Women make the majority of purchases and household decisions in traditional shopping channels, so it is logical for them to be using the Internet as an additional life-style tool. Eighty percent of men in this age group access the internet from home. Seventy-seven percent of females in the 25-34 age group are Web surfers, while 75.6 percent of males in this age bracket have Internet access.

Internet Access from Home: Age/Gender

Sources: Nielsen/NetRatings- Feb. 2004, Cyber Atlas, QuoteMedia