Half of Europeans now online

According to IDC, almost half of all Europeans went online in the past month.

The highest growth rates in Internet user numbers in 2001 were in Germany, The Netherlands, and the countries of Southern Europe.

IDC also found that one in three European Internet users bought online in the first half of 2001, and that the number of people buying online increased by 45 percent between Q3 2000 and Q3 2001.

Internet users in Germany, Norway, Switzerland, and the UK are most likely to buy online of all Europeans.

The most commonly purchased products online in Europe are books, magazines, music, and travel related products and services. Europeans are not so interested in buying groceries online, or paying for online news.

www.idc.com