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Irish users divided over Web shopping
Wednesday, September 05 2001
by Sheila McDonald


A new survey by Deloitte & Touche showed that around a fifth of Irish people with
Internet access are likely to make "significant" purchases over the Internet.





But the survey also showed that the majority of those polled, 51 percent, said
they would not buy anything over the Internet. 



"There is no doubt that there is still resistance to on-line purchasing," said
John S Pittock, head of Deloitte & Touche Management Consultants. "This
resistance represents the most significant challenge to the development of a
genuine Internet economy."



The survey, addressing attitudes to science and technology, was carried out in
association with the Science, Technology and Innovation Awareness Programme run
by Forfas on behalf of the Office of Science and Technology. It showed that
around 135,000 Irish adults claimed they will definitely buy something over the
Internet in the next year. A further 361,000 said they would probably make such a
purchase.



Among those who do shop on-line, satisfaction with Internet shopping is high,
with 85 percent of current on-line purchasers likely to purchase again. The
survey polled Irish people across a range of ages, including a sampling of
adults, senior business people and transition-year students.



The Minister for Science and Technology, Noel Treacy, TD, said that the Deloitte
and Touch survey demonstrated that it was still necessary to invest in the
Internet. He said that growth in the commercial potential of the Internet has not
been as rapid as was predicted a few years ago.



"However, it is clear that there is still a considerable future for Internet
commerce, and confidence in its viability and efficiency is growing among
consumers," the Minister stated.



Pittock from Deloitte & Touch said that take-up of the Internet would increase as
more companies use it as a business tool. 



The findings confirmed those of the Central Statistics Office, which show that
around a third of all adults have Internet access. Young people are more likely
to have access than their older counterparts, and about two thirds of transition
year students have access, mostly at school.  Internet usage is also strongest
among the middle class -- around 60 percent of middle class adults have access to
the Internet compared with just 20 percent of their counterparts from working
class or farming communities.