What's In A Number?

MATT RICHTEL in the NYTimes Bits Blog points out that the amount of time spent using web based email services is on the decline for everyone but the 55 and older crowd. The data collected by comScore Media Metrix should, in my opinion, come as little surprise to anyone with a pulse. The proliferation of social media sites as a means of communicating has drastically reduced the amount of general chatter that once occupied our in boxes. Many people have chosen to fulfill their need to reach out and touch their "friends" via Facebook status updates and wall posts. I believe that this form of communication is much more of a fishing expedition; if I have 200 friends on Facebook and I post that I'm feeling happy today, or sad, I'm more likely to engage someone in a conversation. Instant messaging, texts, twitter or Facebook posts make for instant gratification, and the generations that are growing up today are less likely to want to engage in lengthy email exchanges. The move to mobile has also had a significant impact on our email habits, and while the numbers are interesting to look at there's little to be surprised by here... unless you are a web based email service who's not had social on your radar, then you're probably too late anyway.

As for the big split between the under 55's and the over 55's, these are mostly the folks who didn't have PC's in their everyday lives until they were pushing 30 and probably didn't have to embrace them until even later in life. It's not that surprising.

Study Shows Mobile Internet Use Going Up, Fast

Neilsen Online has some, not so surprising, news regarding Mobile internet use in Britain. According to their number, 7.3m people accessed the internet via their mobile phones, in the second and third quarters of 2008. This represents a 25% increase over last year and compares to just a 3% increase in PC-based access.

"The fact that weather, sports, news and e-mail sites make up the majority of leading mobile sites shows that mobile internet is mainly about functionality and need at the moment as opposed to the more entertainment and e-commerce-focused makeup of the leading PC-based sites," says Kent Ferguson, a senior analyst with Nielsen Online.

Some interesting demographics:

25% of mobile internet users are aged 15-24 while the same group make up only 16% of PC based internet users;

23% of the PC based internet users are aged 55 or over while the same group make up only 12% of the mobile internet base.

BBC story here.

Barcodes everywhere!

A few years ago I was enticed into joining a program by AC Nielsen called Homescan, it's basically a big brother kinda thing where you provide them with details of your household purchases in return for points which can be redeemed for rewards. Their website states "Once we receive your household information, you will be placed on a Reserve Status Waiting List. Homescan will then randomly select households to join the panel. This ensures that the panel truly reflects the country's diverse population." Along time passed, must have been 18 months, but I finally was accepted into the fold. I'm all about reward programs and really could care less about who knows how much peanut butter I buy or what kind of magazines I read, besides they give you a bar code scanner! Apparently ours is one of 270,000 homes in 27 countries around the world that is participating.

The rechargeable scanner connects to your PC via USB or serial connection. You download a list of retailers for your area and scan each purchase you make. Some retailers provide AC Nielsen with price data so you are not required to enter prices while others do not which makes the scanning process a little slow and tedious. Thankfully the grocery store that I shop at does and that's where the bulk of my purchases are anyway. The scanning is a bit time consuming and I sometimes forget but once you get used to it and get in the habit it's not that difficult. From time to time they send surveys in the mail and I must say that scanning surveys is much easier and I definitely respond better to these than those annoying phone surveys. I've not yet earned enough points to get any of the interesting rewards but I'll continue to scan until I have. If you are a coupon clipper or participate in rewards programs Homescan might just be for you. Check them out, but be patient...