Press Release
March 21, 2001
NEW YORK, NY -- Nielsen//NetRatings, the world's fastest growing Internet audience measurement service, and Harris
Interactive (Nasdaq:HPOL), a global leader in Internet-based market research, today reported that the online travel
industry hit $1.2 billion in sales in January, nearly a third of all eCommerce transactions, which were $3.8 billion.
This marks a dollar increase of 29 percent from six months ago when consumers spent $943 million on online travel
in August 2000, setting the highest level since monthly surveys began last April.
From last January to January 2001, Nielsen//NetRatings found that online shopping trips to the top five travel
sites from work and home jumped 42 percent to 22 million visits.
``Online travel spending grew 17 percent to more than $1.2 billion in January, while all other forms of consumer
eCommerce declined from their hectic holiday levels in December,'' said Sean Kaldor, vice president of eCommerce
at NetRatings.
Findings from the Nielsen//NetRatings and Harris Interactive eCommercePulse, collected from an online survey of
50,000 Web users, found that Travelocity held the largest share of online travel buyers or 18 percent (see Table
1). Southwest followed with 14 percent of all online travel purchasers. Expedia's share was 11 percent. Priceline
(nine percent) and Delta (eight percent) rounded out the top five rankings.
Table 1. Top 5 Travel Providers Ranked by Share of Purchasers, January 2001 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Company Unique Audience (000) Travel Purchaser Share ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Travelocity 8,720 18% 2. Southwest 4,109 14% 3. Expedia 4,801 11% 4. Priceline 3,409 9% 5. Delta 3,019 8% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Source: Nielsen//NetRatings and Harris Interactive, January 2001
Offline Dollars Generated By Online Shoppers
Online travel sites stimulated another $681 million in offline revenue in January. These sales were generated by
online operations, but purchased through the phone, fax or in-person.
``Online travel is one of the more efficient vertical industries online, routinely completing 64 percent of transactions
on the Web while many other product categories see only 30 to 40 percent of revenues actually transacted through
the cost-efficient online interface,'' said Kaldor.
``Online travel sites should not be evaluated purely by their Web dollar sales figure alone. Many people use the
Internet to price comparison shop, and prefer purchasing their tickets by speaking directly with a travel agent,''
continued Kaldor.
About eCommercePulse
The eCommercePulse service integrates eCommerce survey data collected from Harris Interactive's online panel of
more than seven million users with data and insights from Nielsen//NetRatings' Internet audience information. eCommercePulse
is the first single-source eCommerce intelligence service for merchants, investors and suppliers.
Covering more than 300 eCommerce sites across 14 key vertical markets, eCommercePulse provides integrated monthly
reports on eCommerce behavior, trends and spending (both online spending and offline spending that result from
online shopping). Critical information on purchaser and revenue share, and customer satisfaction metrics, including
market-level and site-level traffic, enables companies to make informed, strategic business decisions.
About Harris Interactive
Harris Interactive (Nasdaq:HPOL), the global leader in online market research, uses Internet-based and traditional
methodologies to provide its clients with critical knowledge concerning the views, experiences, behaviors and attitudes
of people worldwide. Known for its Harris Poll, Harris Interactive has 45 years of experience in providing its
clients with market research and polling services including custom, multi-client and service bureau research, as
well as customer relationship management services. Harris Interactive acquired the custom research group of Yankelovich
Partners in February 2001. Through its U.S. and Global Network offices, Harris Interactive conducts research around
the world, in multiple, localized languages, using its proprietary technology to survey its database of more than
7 million online panelists. For more information about Harris Interactive, please visit our website at www.harrisinteractive.com.
EOE M/F/D/V
About NetRatings, Inc.
NetRatings, Inc. (Nasdaq:NTRT) is a leading provider of Internet audience measurement information and analysis.
Its products and services enable customers to make informed business-critical decisions regarding their Internet
strategies. NetRatings has strategic relationships with both Nielsen Media Research, the leading source of television
audience measurement and related services in the US and Canada, and ACNielsen, a leading provider of market research
information and analysis to the consumer products and services industries.
About Nielsen//NetRatings
Nielsen//NetRatings, the audience measurement service from Nielsen Media Research and NetRatings, Inc., collects
real-time data from more than 70,000 panel members in the United States. The U.S. panel sample consists of 62,000
at-home users and 8,000 at-work users. These panels collectively represent the largest representative media research
sample of Internet users in the industry. Worldwide, Nielsen//NetRatings services are provided via a partnership
with ACNielsen eRatings.com, a venture between ACNielsen and NetRatings, Inc., and measure the Internet experiences
of more than 220,000 Internet users.
Editor's Note: Please source data to Nielsen//NetRatings and Harris Interactive.
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Contact:
NetRatings, Inc.
Jennifer Fan, 408/941-2951
or
Maria Bumatay, 408/586-7560
or
BSMG Worldwide
Suzie Pileggi, 212/445-8170