Online...Who's bidding at your auctions?

Who takes part in online auctions? According to a bidder study by Cambridge, Mass.-based cMarket 2006, the following can be said about the people competing for items at online auctons:

• 71 percent of online auction bidders are female.
• 92 percent go to the Internet once a day or more.
• They spend 49 minutes each time they log on.
• 79 percent typically access the Internet from home for personal use.
• They visit online auctions about four or five times a year.
• They spend an average of 17 minutes each time they visit an online auction.
  51 percent prefer to support their favorite nonprofit/charitable cause through online auctions.
• The top reasons for participating in online charitable auctions include lending support, purchasing products and services, and ease of use.
• 95 percent agree somewhat or completely with the statement: Online charitable auctions provide a unique way to purchase items of interest while giving to a worthy cause.
• Two-thirds indicate, "charity for which the auction is being given is a cause I believe in" as the most important reason they participate in the first place.
• The three categories bid on most recently by those who visited an auction are travel (16 percent), food/dining (12 percent) and home items (9 percent).
• Of the 34 percent who would be interested in a "pay over time" option, virtually all would be at least somewhat likely to use it.
• 50 percent would be willing to bid at least 20 percent more on an item if a pay over time option existed.