FC Roper Starch Survey: The Web

By: Fast CompanyWed Dec 19, 2007 at 12:06 AM

Results from the Fast Company-Roper Starch Survey on the Web.

"It will improve and change to a point where we won't recognize it" : 68%
"It will never live up to its hype": 22%
"It will be about the same, but we'll be better at using it": 70%
"We'll do most of our work on the Internet": 52%
"We'll do most of our business on the Internet": 62%
"We'll do most of our shopping on the Internet": 59%

For each of the following pairs of options, choose the one that will be more essential to business success five years from now.

Skill at using the Internet: 28%
Social skills: 72%
Skill at using the Internet: 33%
An advanced degree: 67%
Skill at using the Internet: 28%
Having good business contacts: 72%
Skill at using the Internet: 36%
Years of work experience: 64%
Skill at using the Internet: 33%
Passion for your work: 67%

How much time do you typically spend doing each of the following activities online? (Percentages indicate how many people selected "a lot" or "some" as their response.)

Purchasing groceries: 4%
Purchasing clothes: 18%
Purchasing cars: 12%
Investing in stocks or mutual funds: 29%
Purchasing books: 34%
Purchasing airline tickets: 33%
Banking or paying bills: 28%
Visiting chat rooms: 29%
Viewing pornography: 14%
Doing research: 93%
Looking through classified ads: 39%
Reading about current events: 79%
Sending and reading email: 95%

Next, think about what you expect your level of online activity to be five years from now. Please indicate whether you expect to do more, less, or about the same of each activity -- or whether the activity is one that you will never do online.

Purchasing groceries

More: 24%
Same: 26%
Less: 6%
Never: 44%

Purchasing clothes

More: 35%
Same: 36%
Less: 6%
Never: 24%

Purchasing cars

More: 26%
Same: 34%
Less: 7%
Never: 34%

Investing in stocks or mutual funds

More: 56%
Same: 25%
Less: 3%
Never: 16%

Purchasing books

More: 44%
Same: 39%
Less: 5%
Never: 12%

Purchasing airline tickets

More: 53%
Same: 32%
Less: 4%
Never: 11%

Banking or paying bills

More: 64%
Same: 21%
Less: 3%
Never: 12%

Visiting chat rooms

More: 18%
Same: 44%
Less: 12%
Never: 26%

Viewing pornography

More: 5%
Same: 23%
Less: 12%
Never: 60%

Doing research

More: 75%
Same: 24%
Less: 1%
Never: 1%

Looking through classified ads

More: 43%
Same: 39%
Less: 5%
Never: 13%

Reading about current events

More: 64%
Same: 34%
Less: 1%
Never: 1%

Sending and reading email

More: 72%
Same: 27%
Less: 1%
Never: 1%

Please indicate whether you think that doing each of the following activities online is better, worse, or about the same as doing it in the traditional way -- or whether you will never do it online.

Purchasing groceries

Better: 12%
Same: 22%
Worse: 23%
Never : 44%

Purchasing clothes

Better: 17%
Same: 30%
Worse: 25%
Never: 28%

Purchasing cars

Better: 24%
Same: 27%
Worse: 17%
Never: 32%

Investing in stocks or mutual funds

Better: 49%
Same: 28%
Worse: 6%
Never: 17%

Purchasing books

Better: 38%
Same: 39%
Worse: 12%
Never: 12%

Purchasing airline tickets

Better: 57%
Same: 28%
Worse: 4%
Never: 12%