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U.S. Consumer Spending for Online Content Reaches $1.8 Billion in 2004 on Strength of Entertainment/Lifestyles Category, According to Online Publishers Association Report

NEW YORK, NY -- March 10, 2005 -- The Online Publishers Association (OPA) today released its full year 2004 Paid Online Content U.S. Market Spending Report. The study, conducted in partnership with comScore Networks, found that consumer spending for online content in the U.S. grew to $1.8 billion in 2004, a 14% increase over 2003, driven largely by growth in the Entertainment/Lifestyles category.

Make Money Online Online Personals/Dating remained the leading paid content category in 2004, with spending at an all-time high of $469.5 million for the year, up 4% over 2003. However, spending on Entertainment/Lifestyles grew a remarkable 90%, from $217.6 million in 2003 to $413.5 million in 2004, while spending on Business/Investment content declined 6% over that same time period. As a result, Entertainment/Lifestyles overtook Business/Investment content as the No. 2 paid content category and is on track assume the top position should its current rate of growth continue.

Online travel spending in the U.S. during the 2005 holiday season (November 1 through December 31, 2005) totaled $8.6 billion, percent increase on last year. Last year U.S. consumers spent $7.4 billion during this period, according to comScore Networks. For the full year consumers spent $60.9 billion, percent increase on the previous year. Total Internet spending for the full year 2005, including travel, reached $143.2 billion, up 22 percent over the $117.2 billion spent online in 2004.

Internet Business Opportunity In addition to Entertainment/Lifestyles, the Sports and Games categories also showed strong annual growth of 38% and 22%, respectively.

But sales of pet supplies, cosmetics and fragrances will increase faster than other categories at growth rates of over 30 percent, the report found. Last year, online sales rose 25 percent to $176.4 billion, with 28 percent growth in online purchases excluding travel. Total Internet sales in 2004 and 2003 reached $141.4 billion and $114.1 billion, respectively, Silverman said. "I think we're still looking for the next several years (for) growth over 20 percent per year, " he said, adding that growth closer to 30 percent was probably not sustainable.

Free Money "The fact that Entertainment/Lifestyles, Sports and Games were by far the year's fastest growing paid content categories is further evidence that the Web is on its way to becoming a true entertainment medium for U.S. consumers," said Michael Zimbalist, president of the Online Publishers Association.

Used book sales in 2004 topped $2.2 billion an increase of 11.1% from 2003; Over 111 million used books were sold in 2004; Online sales of used books were worth $ a 33% increase from 2003; Used books sales represent 8.4% of total consumer spending on books. Work At Home Business Online Content Spending by Category ($ in millions) Then why are we so confused about what we need According to consumer industry tracker Packaged Facts, the 2004 U.S. skincare sales reached $6.4 billion and is expected to reach over $9 billion by the year 2010. If you consider all the skincare manufacturers competing for their share of the industry it's not surprising that we fall prey to the more prominent marketing hype and miss the actual research findings. Free Online Affiliate Program Source:  Online Publishers Association and comScore Networks
	Full Year 2003	Full Year 2004	% Growth
As we can expect, the USD may lose some of its strength again due to the fact that the average American consumer's spending power has decreased. Auction Coin Money Paper Personals/Dating	$449.5	$469.5	4.4%
Franchise Business Opportunity Entertainment/Lifestyles	$217.6	$413.5	90.0%
Best Free Online Affiliate Business/Investment	$334.1	$312.9	-6.3%
Blogging Money Thebillivard Research	$108.6	$115.1	6.0%
Best Home Based Business Personal Growth	$90.7	$96.5	6.5%
Affiliate Marketing Program Games	$73.0	$88.8	21.8%
Money Site Thebillivard Com General News	$87.5	$87.9	.4%
Online Business Opportunity Community-Made Directories	$87.0	$70.5	-18.9%
Pay Per Click Affiliate Greeting Cards	$40.6	$43.4	6.8%
Cnn Money Sports	$38.2	$52.8	38.0%
Business Opportunity Lead Credit Help	$36.6	$27.1	-26.0%

Affiliate Program Directory While burgeoning online music sales were behind the significant gains in the Entertainment/Lifestyles category in 2004, song track sales also led to a significant shift in the overall single purchase versus subscription mix, with single purchases accounting for 15% of online content sales in 2004, compared to only 11% in 2003.

Making Money Program According to the report, 19 million U.S. consumers paid for online content in Q4 2004, up 2.6 million over the same period in 2003. With growth in paid content consumers outpacing growth in U.S. Internet users, paid content consumer penetration in Q4 2004 reached its highest point yet -- 11.6 percent -- while average consumer spending remained flat.

Work From Home Business "The market for paid online content remains strong," said Mr. Zimbalist, "and with less than 12 percent of the total U.S. Internet population purchasing content online in the fourth quarter, there is still significant room for growth."

Internet Marketing Affiliate The information contained in the OPA's Paid Online Content U.S. Market Spending Report is based not on self-reported consumer surveys, but on actual observed purchases of content. comScore Networks calculated the results of the study by passively and electronically monitoring the actual purchase and usage transactions that took place during the analysis period within its representative panel of more than 1 million U.S. online consumers.

Money In The Bank The 2004 Paid Online Content U.S. Market Spending Report can be found at the Online Publishers Association Web site at www.online-publishers.org.

Internet Home Business About comScore Networks

Credit Card Affiliate Program comScore Networks provides unparalleled insight into consumer behavior and attitudes. This capability is based on a massive, global cross-section of more than 2 million consumers who have given comScore explicit permission to confidentially capture their browsing and transaction behavior, including online and offline purchasing. comScore panelists also participate in survey research that captures and integrates their attitudes and intentions. Through its patent-pending technology, comScore measures what matters across a broad spectrum of behavior and attitudes. comScore consultants apply this deep knowledge of customers and competitors to help clients design powerful marketing strategies and tactics that deliver superior ROI. For more information, please visit www.comscore.com.

Unclaimed Money About the Online Publishers Association

Mlm Business Opportunity Founded in June 2001, the Online Publishers Association (OPA) is an industry trade organization whose mission is to advance the interests of high-quality online publishers before the advertising community, the press, the government and the public. Members of OPA represent the standards in Internet publishing with respect to editorial quality and integrity, credibility and accountability. OPA member sites have a combined, unduplicated reach of 113.4 million visitors, or 70.4 percent of the total U.S. Internet audience (Source: comScore Media Metrix, December 2004 combined home/work/university data). For more information about the Online Publishers Association, visit www.online-publishers.org.

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