WebProNews

Globally, the most popular items to purchase online are books with 41 percent of Internet users doing so in the last three months according to Nielsen Online.

Among U.S. Internet users 38 percent bought books in the past month. In the UK 45 percent of Internet users have bought books online and in Germany 55 percent had done the same.

“Some of the biggest buyers of books on the Internet are from developing countries—China, Brazil, Vietnam and Egypt—indicating massive growth potential for online retailers that can specifically target these fast- growing markets,” said Jonathan Carson, President International, Nielsen Online.

More than 85 percent of the world’s online population has used the Internet to make a purchase, increasing the market for online shopping by 40 percent in the last two years. Globally more than half of Internet users have made at least one purchase online in the past month.

The most avid online shoppers are in South Korea, where 99 percent of those with Internet access have used it to shop followed by the UK (97%), Germany (97%), Japan (97%) and the U.S. placing eighth at 94 percent.

Other online items that are popular to purchase globally include clothing at 36 percent, followed by videos/DVDs/ games at 24 percent, airline tickets 24 percent and electronic equipment at 23 percent.

“The Internet is no longer a niche technology -- it is mass media and an utterly integral part of modern life. Almost no aspect of life remains untouched by online media. As our lives become more fractured and cluttered, it isn't surprising that consumers turn to the unrivalled convenience of the Internet when it comes to researching and buying products," said Carson.