1. About CCB
  2. About the Survey
    1. Methodology
    2. Questionnaire
  3. Interpreting the Data
  4. Glossary of Terms
  5. Press Coverage
  

About the Survey

Methodology

Timing

  • Surveys were administered during April 2010

Population

  • Target population was the online population (internet users) in each country surveyed
  • Frame population (sample base) was from TNS online access panels in each country surveyed

Sampling

  • Samples in each country surveyed were aimed to be representative of the target population
  • Sample size is n=2,000 in each country surveyed (except UAE, where n=1,500)
  • Quotas were applied in the sampling process with regard to age, gender, educational level / social class (where appropriate) and online usage intensity, as to ensure representivity

Survey Administration

  • The survey data was collected in all countries via an online questionnaire (CAWI – Computer Aided Web Interview)
  • Questionnaires were administered in local language for all countries surveyed
  • Survey length was 15 minutes
  • Due to the large number of product categories, a split sample approach was applied (i.e. each respondent was only asked a limited number of product categories to avoid fatigue)

Data Weighting

  • Weighting procedures were applied to the collected sample data along key structural variables of the online population in each country
  • The structural information necessary was collected using offline omnibus interviews in all countries surveyed in addition to the main interviews

Omnibus

  • Offline omnibus interviews were conducted in all countries involved either via telephone (CATI – Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing) or face-to-face (CAPI/PAPI – Computer Assisted Paper Interviewing/Pen and Paper Interviewing)
  • Sample size was n=500 or n=1,000 per country, depending on online penetration
  • Omnibus interviews collected information on internet usage (incidence / reach), online usage intensity, online purchasing and usage of Google / YouTube (incidence / reach)
  • Omnibus data was collected during March 2010

Questionnaire

QS1: Please state your age.

QS2: Please state your gender

QS3: How often do you go online?

  1. Several times a day
  2. (Almost) once a day
  3. Several times a week
  4. Once a week
  5. Several times a month
  6. Once a month
  7. Less frequently
  8. Never
  9. Don’t know

Q1: When did you last buy any of the following products or services:>

Interviewee was asked to selected from one of:

  1. Within the last 3 months
  2. Within the last 6 months
  3. Within the last 12 months
  4. Never
  5. 9: Don’t know
  1. Home insurance
  2. Car insurance
  3. Computer hardware (PC/Mac/laptop)
  4. Cars
  5. Digital camera/camcorder
  6. Visual devices (TV/Home Theatre/DVD player, etc.)
  7. Personal appliances (e.g. hairdryer)
  8. Domestic appliances (e.g. fridge, washing machine)
  9. Computer software/video games
  10. Printer supplies (e.g. cartridges, ink)
  11. Mobile phone (handset)
  12. Computer peripherals (printer/scanner, etc.)
  13. Mobile phone subscription
  14. Audio devices (Hi-fi, iPod, MP3 player, etc.)
  15. Books
  16. Leisure Flights
  17. Clothing & accessories
  18. Event tickets (e.g. concerts, theatre, sport)
  19. CDs/DVDs
  20. Toys
  21. Footwear
  22. Health products
  23. Groceries
  24. Business Travel (flights, hotels, care hire, etc.)
  25. Gifts, flowers, greetings
  26. Car Parts or Accessories
  27. Cinema Tickets
  28. Cosmetics/beauty products
  29. DIY, Tools, Garden Equipment
  30. Home Furnishings/Furniture
  31. Hotels (for leisure/holidays)
  32. Personal Loans
  33. Package Holidays
  34. Video games
  35. Home and household goods (kitchenware, tableware, iron table, etc)
  36. Sport equipment (fitness machines, ski/snowboard, golf clubs, bicycles, camping and trekking)

Q2: Thinking about the last time you bought each of these products or services, how did you purchase them: online, by phone, by catalogue, in a store/agency/showroom or any other way?

Interviewee was asked to selected from one of:

  1. Online
  2. By Phone
  3. By catalogue
  4. In a store / agency / showroom
  5. Other
  6. Don’t know
  1. Home insurance
  2. Car insurance
  3. Computer hardware (PC/Mac/laptop)
  4. Cars
  5. Digital camera/camcorder
  6. Visual devices (TV/Home Theatre/DVD player, etc.)
  7. Personal appliances (e.g. hairdryer)
  8. Domestic appliances (e.g. fridge, washing machine)
  9. Computer software/video games
  10. Printer supplies (e.g. cartridges, ink)
  11. Mobile phone (handset)
  12. Computer peripherals (printer/scanner, etc.)
  13. Mobile phone subscription
  14. Audio devices (Hi-fi, iPod, MP3 player, etc.)
  15. Books
  16. Leisure Flights
  17. Clothing & accessories
  18. Event tickets (e.g. concerts, theatre, sport)
  19. CDs/DVDs
  20. Toys
  21. Footwear
  22. Health products
  23. Groceries
  24. Business Travel (flights, hotels, care hire, etc.)
  25. Gifts, flowers, greetings
  26. Car Parts or Accessories
  27. Cinema Tickets
  28. Cosmetics/beauty products
  29. DIY, Tools, Garden Equipment
  30. Home Furnishings/Furniture
  31. Hotels (for leisure/holidays)
  32. Personal Loans
  33. Package Holidays
  34. Video games
  35. Home and household goods (kitchenware, tableware, iron table, etc)
  36. Sport equipment (fitness machines, ski/snowboard, golf clubs, bicycles, camping and trekking)

Q3: Now thinking about the research you did before purchase, for the last time you bought each of these products or services. For which of these products or services, regardless of where you bought the item, did you do research online? Please select all that apply.

(Only show products purchased in past 12 months according to Q1)
  1. Home insurance
  2. Car insurance
  3. Computer hardware (PC/Mac/laptop)
  4. Cars
  5. Digital camera/camcorder
  6. Visual devices (TV/Home Theatre/DVD player, etc.)
  7. Personal appliances (e.g. hairdryer)
  8. Domestic appliances (e.g. fridge, washing machine)
  9. Computer software/video games
  10. Printer supplies (e.g. cartridges, ink)
  11. Mobile phone (handset)
  12. Computer peripherals (printer/scanner, etc.)
  13. Mobile phone subscription
  14. Audio devices (Hi-fi, iPod, MP3 player, etc.)
  15. Books
  16. Leisure Flights
  17. Clothing & accessories
  18. Event tickets (e.g. concerts, theatre, sport)
  19. CDs/DVDs
  20. Toys
  21. Footwear
  22. Health products
  23. Groceries
  24. Business Travel (flights, hotels, care hire, etc.)
  25. Gifts, flowers, greetings
  26. Car Parts or Accessories
  27. Cinema Tickets
  28. Cosmetics/beauty products
  29. DIY, Tools, Garden Equipment
  30. Home Furnishings/Furniture
  31. Hotels (for leisure/holidays)
  32. Personal Loans
  33. Package Holidays
  34. Video games
  35. Home and household goods (kitchenware, tableware, iron table, etc)
  36. Sport equipment (fitness machines, ski/snowboard, golf clubs, bicycles, camping and trekking)
  37. For none of these
  38. Don’t know

Q4: Thinking in general, what sorts of websites do you use in researching purchases you make either online or elsewhere e.g. in a store / agency / showroom / by phone, etc.:

Please select all that apply.
  1. Retailer websites (e.g. Amazon)
  2. Manufacturer websites (e.g. Dell)
  3. Price comparison websites (e.g. GoCompare)
  4. Online auction websites (e.g. eBay)
  5. Consumer review websites (e.g. Rotten Tomatoes)
  6. Search engines (e.g. Yahoo!)
  7. Mapping websites, e.g. to locate stores (e.g. Google Maps)
  8. Social Networking sites (e.g. Facebook, Bebo)
  9. Microblogs (e.g. Twitter, Google Buzz)
  10. Video portals (e.g. YouTube, Vimeo)
  11. Blogs (e.g. Wordpress)
  12. Bulletin boards / forum (e.g. AVForums)
  13. Financial Websites (e.g. MoneySavingExpert)
  14. None of these
  15. Don’t know

Q5: Thinking about your last purchase to what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

Interviewee was asked to selected from one of:

  1. Strongly agree
  5. Strongly disagree
  6. Don't know/ cannot evaluate
  1. I read consumer reviews of products online
  2. I read professional independent product reviews (e.g. in an online magazine)
  3. I bid on product in an online auction
  4. I read blogs relating to shopping or consumer products during my research
  5. I submitted a consumer review on a product that I have bought or write about a purchase in a blog
  6. I compared prices in price comparison shopping websites
  7. I printed off product information to take with me to a store
  8. Reserved an item to purchase instore
  9. Checked stock availability online

Q6: Thinking about online shopping to what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

Interviewee was asked to selected from one of:

  1. Strongly agree
  5. Strongly disagree
  6. Don't know/ cannot evaluate
  1. The internet is the first place I usually go to when researching products to buy
  2. Online shopping is convenient / saves me time
  3. I find arranging suitable delivery times difficult
  4. I am comfortable buying products from foreign websites
  5. [only online shopper] I have changed my mind about which brand to buy following research on the web
  6. I always read the Terms & Conditions before buying an item online
  7. I have ever bought something as a direct result of an email I have received from a retailer
  8. I have ever redeemed a promotional voucher or discount code when buying products online
  9. I have ever brought a product as a result of reading a recommendation from the retailer
  10. I find returning items to be unsatisfactory/difficult
  11. I find delivery of goods purchased online is too expensive
  12. I only buy from websites where I am already a customer
  13. I may do research online, but will only purchase a product in store
  14. I am comfortable buying products from unfamiliar websites