April 27, 2006

Some market researchers say women have been the majority among American Internet users for a good number of years. Women Web surfers now make up 51.7 percent of the US Internet population, and nearly 100 million women in the US will be using the Internet in two years from now.

"For all online players, the rising influence of females online is something that can't be ignored," says Debra Aho Williamson, eMarketer Senior Analyst.

Obviously, where women go, particularly to do their online shopping and buying, is vitally important to marketers.

New figures from comScore Media Metrix indicate that women's activities online are shifting.

The data show that more women are going online to find multimedia content, check classified ads, listen to radio and (men take note) read maps.

Women are primary shoppers for many households and they make up the majority of visitors to leading online retail sites, including JCPenney, Federated Department Stores, Overstock.com, Target and Wal-Mart.

"The increasing presence of women online is having a profound effect on content, commerce and marketing," says Ms. Williamson.

"In the offline world, women are said to influence more than three-quarters of household expenditures. That level of influence may not have been fully felt online yet, but it soon will be."

Source: eMarketer