Online Retail Up, Online Giving Down

December 21, 2004
Shoppers are driving online retail to record highs this holiday season, but that enthusiasm is not extending to Web sites dedicated to charity and humanitarian causes.

According to Hitwise, a Web intelligence service, shopping and classifieds sites claimed 9.54 percent of all U.S. Internet visits the week ending Dec. 18, 2004, an increase of 27 percent versus the same week last year (ending Dec. 20, 2003). For the same weeks, visits to humanitarian Web sites dropped six percent; and November 2004 monthly levels dropped 15 percent versus November 2003.

“Visitor levels to charity and humanitarian sites peaked in November 2003, but most have been on the decline ever since,” said Bill Tancer, vice president of research, Hitwise. “Charities should place greater emphasis on reaching their target market, as our data clearly indicate that there are distinct demographic characteristics for visitors to charitable and humanitarian sites.”

Humanitarians Older, Less Affluent, Female

For the four weeks ending Dec. 11, 2004, internet users with a household income greater than $150,000 were 42 percent less likely to visit humanitarian sites, while those with a household income less than $30,000 were 11 percent more likely. Women represented 62 percent of all visitors, making them 26 percent more likely to visit the category versus men. Visitors to humanitarian sites were 38 percent more likely to be over the age of 55, and 14 percent less likely to be between the ages of 18 and 24.

According to Hitwise/Claritas PRIZM NE Lifestyle data for the four weeks ending Dec. 11, 2004, humanitarian sites are most likely to attract visitors from the social group “Midtown Mix”. Thirty-six percent more likely to visit humanitarian sites, this mid-scale urban segment is characterized by its ethnic diversity, childless households and active social lives. Among the top 100 most visited humanitarian sites, they are most likely to visit sites that focus on international causes

At the opposite end of the spectrum are visitors from the social group “Rustic Living”. Twenty-seven percent less likely to visit humanitarian sites, visitors from this segment represent the nation's most isolated rural villages, and they have relatively modest incomes, little education, aging homes and blue-collar occupations. Their leisure activities include activities such as fishing and hunting, attending church socials, enjoying country music and car racing. Among the top 100 most visited humanitarian sites, they are most likely to visit sites that focus on domestic and children’s causes.

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