Compiled by Vicky Nolan
Gambling is Considered Acceptable
In a survey of U.K. residents, KPMG Consulting found that most gambling activities are considered acceptable. The results, which were published in The Journal, found that of 22 gambling activities, only fruit machines in inland arcades, cafes and takeaways were considered "less acceptable."
Women Find the Internet a Safe Place to Play
Seventy-five percent of women on the Internet have played a game while online, according to a new pogo.com survey. Respondents indicated that playing games allowed them to "be themselves", felt they were playing with "friends," and described it as being comfortable or safe.
At least 51 percent of these women spent 2 or more hours a week playing games online, with another three percent admitting to playing more than 20 hours a week. Among the most popular games played were card games, 63 percent and casino games, 43 percent.
www.pogo.com
The Internet is the Place to Spend IT Budgets
Many more U.S. companies' IT budgets are directed to Web initiatives. According to IDC, in 1999 just over 12 percent of all U.S. companies' IT spending was on Web initiatives, which will more than double to 27 percent by 2003, when U.S. Web spending will exceed $282 billion.
"Beyond the promise of e-commerce, industries are looking to leverage Web technologies within existing internal business processes such as purchasing, procurement, and inventory management. These e-business initiatives, while less visible to the outside world, are critical prerequisites to outward-facing e-commerce initiatives and continue to drive much of the real investments in Web hardware, software, and network infrastructure," said Christian Silva, an analyst with IDC's Internet and eCommerce Strategies
research program.
www.idc.com
Dispelling the Myth of Internet Investors
A survey from Internet Stock NewsTM is designed to erase images of young, fly-by-the-click of your mouse investors who carelessly put money into Internet stocks. Instead, the survey of 5,000 investors found that today's Internet investors are accredited, well educated and affluent.
Additionally, the survey found these investors to be serious, well rounded and knowledgeable about the potential profit of Internet investments.
"The Internet is changing the way everyone invests and what we invest in," said Chris Agarwa, founder of ISN. "No investor, experienced or inexperienced, can ignore Internet stocks, which are sure to be the next high-growth sector."
Poor Customer Service Abounds
Eighty percent of online retailers fail to meet basic customer service standards, according to a survey by Trust-On-Line. Among the more notable failures were Sainsbury's, Lastminute.com, Virgin and Waitrose.
The most common problems ranged from failure to guarantee secure transactions online to omitting crucial details particularly with regards to company policy.
Not All Advertising Spending is Online
Where do those advertising dollars get spent? According to a survey of business-to-business vertical portals, 82 percent of respondents spend less than 20 percent of their marketing budget online.
Instead, they tend to spend their money on trade shows. The survey, conducted by B2BMarketingBiz.com, found that more than 52 percent of respondents spend 20 to 30 percent of their budgets on trade shows, and 15 percent spend even more. Public relations is the next marketing priority,
with 52 percent of respondents spend 20 to 30 percent.
www.b2bmarketingbiz.com