Web content: Men more likely to pay than women

NEWS Men are twice as likely to pay for online content than women, according to the latest survey - and much of their hard-earned cash is going on music downloads and business-related material. More than 50 per cent of men currently buy some form of online content, compared to only 26 per cent of women. Music and business-related advice and tools are the most common forms of content bought by web-surfing males, according to a straw poll conducted by BT Openworld. Thirty per cent of the men surveyed had bought downloadable music, while over 24 per cent had paid to access business research, company reports or industry analysis. Men between the ages of 20 and 30 are the most likely to buy online content, with 75 per cent having paid for music or business advice in the last year. David Frail, business development and strategy at BT Openworld Powered, said in a statement: "The research revealed that buying online is no longer restricted to tangible goods. Many information sites... are now charging... for access to certain types of information and our survey reveals that people are happy to pay for this." Internet gambling also remains a popular way to lose money - but only for men. Over 24 per cent of the chaps surveyed had laid a bet online in the last year. None of the women had indulged in an online flutter. The research also revealed that women are more cautious than men when it comes to buying online. Seventy per cent said they would be happier to buy on the internet if they did not have to pass on their credit details. Frail added: "There is a clearly a relatively untapped market out there in terms of female consumers on the internet. Companies offering content on the web should be looking more closely at what forms of content women want to buy and how they want to pay for it. Solutions such as Drop Diallers are available which remove the need to expose your credit details and may encourage more women to pay for internet content." The research was conducted last month by BT Openworld Powered, BT Openworld's wholesale arm. Around 40 people were surveyed.