Hello, stacy37-ga,
Your question is very interesting, but also very complex. It is very
hard to find in-depth language and usage patterns for particular
countries. Each country you have mentioned really requires individual,
in-depth research and the statistics still might be elusive. Secondly,
to single out the manufacturing sector would require a concentrated,
individual effort targeted toward each country.
I have tried to provide some insight into internet usage by language
within the particular countries of interest (when available). The
information may provide some insight as to why your website is
experiencing differing levels of use around Europe. Some statistics
are simply not readily available. Most of what I have compiled has
come from small snippets from various sources.
================
GENERAL OVERVIEW
=================
There is no escaping the fact that while there may be English
speakers in European countries, the trend is toward understanding that
most internet users prefer their native language.
From " English is not the Net's only language." NUA. (May 2002)
http://www.nua.ie/surveys/index.cgi?f=VS&art_id=905357989&rel=true
"Non-English speakers outnumber native English speakers when it comes
to using the Internet, according to new research from Global Reach.
"Around 59.8 percent of the total world online population are from
non-English speaking zones, compared to 40.2 percent from English
speaking zones."
"This is equivalent to 338.5 million non-English Internet users and
228 million English speaking users."
"Speakers of European languages (excluding English) account for 33.9
percent of the total world online population."
"Spanish is the number one European language for non-English speaking
Internet users. Around 40.8 million Spanish-speakers are online."
"This compares to 38.6 million German speakers, 22 million French
speakers, and 20.2 million Italian speakers."
(Also refer to the Global Reach Internet Statistics Chart referenced
below)
====
From "Return on Investment for Multilingual Web Sites: the "Dream
Scenario" ROI Model," by Jesus Maroto. Euro RSCG Wnek Gosper. (2003)
http://www.eurorscg.co.uk/localization/images/Return%20on%20investment.pdf
The global internet population is currently 619 million and is
projected to be 709.1 million in 2004. More than 63% of the online
population accesses the net in a language other than English, with
growth in the non-English population expected to reach 75% by 2005.
40% of the world's internet users reside in Europe, according to
Jupiter Research. Merrill Lynch recommends that a company translate
it's web pages into at least five languages to reach 70% of European
users.
"Leading research agencies identify language as a significant
component of trust. English language sites are seen as a problem in
Latin America, Spain, Greece, France and Germany. In countries where
the local retail economy is less well trusted, such as Russia and some
Eastern European countries, English language sites are favored."
"Customers are four times more likely to buy if they are approached
in their own language, according to research from IDC."
"Obviously, decicison makers prefer companies that are able to
address them in their own language since they can be sure of
understanding the information straightaway."
"Growth in access to the Internet is faster in some sectors - in
Germany it is particularly strong in metal/engineering, electronics
and chemicals, and weakest in construction and agriculture. According
to a KPMG study in 2000, 96% of German companies were using the
internet to search for information.
"The largest companies - those with more than 1,000 employees, are
driving the growth of e-business in Germany. Strong growth in German
B2B commerce broadens the Europe e-business base beyond those Web
economies where English is an acceptable infrastructure language, i.e.
the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia. As the Internet itself becomes less
English-centric, the Internet is increasingly a multilingual
environment.
==
From "Non-English Speakers Catch-Up." NUA. (June 1999)
http://www.nua.ie/surveys/index.cgi?f=VS&art_id=899213653&rel=true
"English is the international language of aviation, commerce and
cyberspace. But the non-English speakers online are catching up fast.
The number of Internet users outside the US will begin to outnumber
those inside it by the end of the year, according to Internet research
group eMarketer."
"Non-English speakers are the fastest-growing group of new Internet
users, with a rapidly growing interest in non-English sites as the Net
becomes truly multilingual."
"Industry sources are noting particularly marked increases in the
online use of Spanish, Portuguese, German, Japanese, Chinese and
Scandinavian languages."
======================================================
EUROPEAN INTERNET ACCESS AT WORK AND AT HOME BY COUNTRY
======================================================
From "European Internet Stats."
http://www.altevie.net/mediagraphix/europeaninternetstats/
Percentage of People with Internet Access at Home or Work
Country Home Access Work Access
Austria 42% 27%
Belgium/Luxembourg 39% 23%
Denmark 58% 38%
Finland 49% 37%
France 22% 17%
Germany 35% 22%
Ireland 46% 25%
Italy 34% 14%
Netherlands 56% 28%
Norway 53% 38%
Spain 20% 11%
Sweden 61% 41%
Switzerland 43% 31%
UK 46% 26%
Source: Nielsen//NetRatings, 1st Quarter 2001
Where are the online retail sales coming from?
More than 8% of online sales come from Germany, Scandinavia,
Switzerland, and the UK. Between 4% and 8% come from Austria, the
Benelux countries, France, Finland, while only less than 4% will be
made in Greece, Italy, Portugal or Spain.
(Source: Forrester Research, July 2001)
=========================
INTERNET USAGE IN GENERAL
==========================
"Global Internet Statistics: Sources & References." Global Reach.
http://www.global-reach.biz/globstats/refs.php3
This page contains internet usage information about many countries.
===========================
ENGLISH SPEAKERS BY COUNTRY
===========================
To view a country chart with estimates of the number of people who
can speak "some degree" of English, refer to:
"Are Immigration Preferences for English-Speakers Racist?" Center for
Immigration Studies. (April 1996)
http://www.cis.org/articles/1996/back496.html
The article notes that these estimates vary widely according to the
source.
========================
INTERNET USE BY LANGUAGE
========================
The chart in the reference below show the number of people who are **
actually online in their native language ** (not just people who speak
the language). Therefore, it will give you a good idea of the number
of people who desire to use the internet in their native language!
"Global Internet Statistics (by Language)." Global Reach.
http://www.glreach.com/globstats/
You can click on many of the country links to find out more in depth
information.
==
The International year of Volunteers 2001 website surveyed 1,690
respondents from more than 150 countries. Internet language preference
was one factor measured. Aside from other countries represented,
20.5% of respondents were from Europe, broken down as 3% Eastern
Europe, 5.1% Northern Europe, 6.3% Southern Europe and 6% WEstern
Europe.
Internet language preference for respondents from all countries was as
follows:
English 0.1%, Chinese 2.%, Russian 3.3%, Arabic 3.8%, Spanish 12.2%,
French 14.7%. The percentage of respondents that did not answer was
22.%
From "International Year of Volunteers 2001 Website Survey. (July
2001)
http://www.worldvolunteerweb.org/about_us/about_portal/consult/IYV_WebsiteSurvey_EXT.pdf
=======
GERMANY
=======
Language preference:
===================
"In Germany, only 18% prefer English language sites, compared to 79%
who prefer their native language."
From "Return on Investment for Multilingual Web Sites: the "Dream
Scenario" ROI Model," by Jesus Maroto. Euro RSCG Wnek Gosper. (2003)
http://www.eurorscg.co.uk/localization/images/Return%20on%20investment.pdf
=
General overview:
================
The following information is from Global Reach
http://glreach.com/gbc/de/german.php3
The German language is spoken in:
Germany
Switzerland
Austria
Luxembourg
Liechtenstein
Italy
Brazil (small German speaking minorities)
Argentina (small German speaking minorities)
U.S. (small German speaking minorities)
Denmark (small German speaking minorities)
Poland (small German speaking minorities)
France (small German speaking minorities in Alsace)
Background: Western Europe's richest and most populous nation, with
82.7 Million people (there is a large Turkish population in Germany:
2.4%). In August of 2000, there were 18 million Germans online.
"It makes sense to take the total European German-speaking market as a
whole, since German is the principal language of Switzerland and
Austria (both rich countries as well). That would make the entire
German-speaking market 100 million people. As a company establishes
itself in this market, it can start to differentiate between these
three countries, but to do so at first would simply cost too much.
Funds could be put to better use in marketing and getting sales going
to start with."
==
From "From "Internet Special Report: Europe's Enticing E-markets," by
Rainer Hengst. Target Marketing. (June 2000)
http://targetmarketingmag.com/sics/277349634877502.bsp
"Most online buyers are between 20 and 39 years old and spend an
average of about $800 annually. A slight majority shop at least once a
month; 45 percent shop online at least once every three months."
"As mentioned, Germans, like many Europeans, tend to avoid Web surfing
due to high local phone charges. They often conduct offline research
before logging on, which spells opportunities for reaching these
consumers through traditional direct marketing techniques to get them
to visit your site. When they do buy, popular items include travel and
tourism, computer hardware, and books."
"Caveats: Germans tend to place a high premium on the quality of
goods, and they don't expect high or additional costs such as
shipping, handling and taxes. They also prefer consolidated shipments
(don't send items separately), multiple delivery options, the ability
to track orders online and paying by C.O.D. rather than with credit
cards."
"The bottom line: Germany is a lucrative market for U.S. e-tailers.
But the key to success is demonstrating quality while providing
excellent service."
Business Use:
=============
From Global Reach
http://glreach.com/gbc/de/german.php3
"90% of all German businesses are online, and 56% of German companies
have their own Website (and another 30% should have one by the middle
of 2001). Although the businesses that sell online only realize 0.1%
to 10% of their entire turnover, the prognosis is that in 2001 there
will be 14% of German businesses that realize 25-50% of their turnover
online."
"Germany is quite strong in the Internet world... actually, number two
position in the world. A newly published research at StatMarket gives
Germany the second position in the world, after the U.S. Around 5.56%
of all Internet traffic originates in Germany (the U.S. accounting for
55%)".
"Research company "Consulting Partner" studied 1300 companies in
German-speaking Europe last year, and found that one-third of them did
not have any defined, clear e-commerce strategy. Another one quarter
of these companies did have an e-commerce strategy. 17% of German
mid-sized companies did not even have an email address or any plans
for eBusiness. It is usually the larger German companies who are more
developed in their online strategy than small companies."
(Read More)
==
From "Germany becomes increasingly wired." NUA (Feb 2001)
http://www.nua.ie/surveys/index.cgi?f=VS&art_id=905356471&rel=true
A study from German consultants Putz & Partner "has found that German
companies that engage in ebusiness are now generating 17 percent of
their total sales online."
"Putz & Partner analysts predict that this will increase to 30 percent
of all sales by 2003."
"Twenty percent of German firms already use the Internet to
communicate with customers and suppliers, and a further 30 percent are
expected to do so this year. About a quarter of firms are already
using online marketplaces to cut costs."
"German companies currently spend 2 percent of their revenues on
developing their ecommerce capabilities. Most of this money goes on
marketing, service, and distribution, and smaller firms tend to get a
higher return on investment."
==============
UNITED KINGDOM
==============
General overview
===============
From "From "Internet Special Report: Europe's Enticing E-markets," by
Rainer Hengst. Target Marketing. (June 2000)
http://targetmarketingmag.com/sics/277349634877502.bsp
The United Kingdom is an excellent entry point for U.S. e-tailers -
not just because of the common language. It has a strong technological
infrastructure, as well as a liberalized and open competitive
e-market.
Like the United States, the United Kingdom has one of the most
innovative e-business cultures, which includes strong content
providers. It has a sophisticated online population that's expected to
grow to 25 million users by 2003, and it includes many of Europe's
early adopters who have a history of direct buying using credit cards,
unlike most other European consumers.
Most U.K. online users generally have higher-than-average incomes and
are most interested in buying travel products, CDs, books, videos,
flowers, food, beverages and clothing.
Caveat: Don't assume the common language means it's an extension of
the United States. Much more than the Atlantic Ocean separates these
two countries. Do your homework to discover important cultural
differences.
The bottom line: This country's excellent infrastructure and wide
acceptance of the Internet make it a top European market.
Business use of Internet
========================
From "Half of UK businesses online at the end of 2001." Office of
National Statistics. (2002)
http://www.nua.ie/surveys/index.cgi?f=VS&art_id=905358320&rel=true
"According to the Office of National Statistics, 50 percent of UK
businesses were online at the end of December 2001. The number of
businesses online with more than ten employees rose by 15.9 percent
from 2000 to 2001, to reach 73 percent.
"A recent ecommerce study released by the Office of National
Statistics indicates that 46 percent of the smallest sized businesses
in the UK were online, compared to 98 percent of organizations with
1,000 employees or more."
"Nearly 40 percent of UK businesses had their own website, and this
figure rose to 62 percent for organizations that employed ten or more
people. Among companies with websites, seven percent were selling
online, while 25 percent were purchasing online."
Read full report at:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/ecom0802.pdf
Also read "Majority of UK firms online." (Feb.2002)
http://www.nua.ie/surveys/index.cgi?f=VS&art_id=905357650&rel=true
==
"Manufacturing in danger of being left behind in e-commerce advance."
Cap Gemeni Ernst & Young. (May 2002)
http://www.uk.cgey.com/news/pr2002/pr1412.shtml
"Latest research shows UK manufacturers are not attempting to use web
based services specific to their industry sector. The research
commissioned by Cap Gemini Ernst & Young UK plc shows manufacturers
using e-commerce for purchase and supply management tend to use
generic business services web sites rather than those tailored for the
manufacturing sector."
"The survey shows that UK manufacturers are keen to benefit from
savings the internet can provide with 40% of firms using e-commerce in
some form. However, purchases tend to be for non-manufacturing
specific goods, such as travel, IT equipment or office stationary."
"The findings highlight direct goods as firms least popular purchase.
Currently only one in four manufacturers use e-commerce to buy direct
goods or services; the raw materials specific to their business. In
comparison, two thirds use online facilities to purchase generic
travel services."
======
FRANCE
======
General overview:
================
The following information is from Global Reach
http://glreach.com/gbc/fr/french.php3
The French language ("français", in French) is spoken by 70 Million
people in the world, in:
France
Canada (French Quebec)
U.S.
Switzerland
Belgium
Luxembourg
Many parts of Africa (especially North Africa: Morocca, Algeria and
Tunis)
Many French Antilles (Martinique, Guadeloupe, St. Martinique, Tahiti
"France had a bad start when people starting signing online to the
Internet. Granted, it has the imminent privilege of being the only
country that has been selling online since 1980. But the enemy was
inside: the long-standing (since 1980) Minitel, a teletext system that
did much of what the Web does for us today. The post office gave out
free terminals for every phone line, and the Minitel became such an
important standard (18 M users in France, vs. only 10 M for Internet)
that Minitel sites still bring in $2 B of yearly income to France
Telecom even now. Many people still do not see why they should learn
to use a computer: they get everything they need from the Minitel, and
they don't seem to mind paying the access fee (around $0.30/minute)."
"Sales through the Minitel in 1999 were $1.7 B, vs. $300 M for the
Internet. Transactions are totally secured, since the Minitel acts as
a huge Intranet on the national scale, using X.25 protocol. The
Minitel's 18 million users have gotten an early lesson in online
communication. However, with these devices already in so many
households, many French feel no reason to upgrade to the internet and
incur the ISP and phone charges."
"Another factor for the under-utilisation of the Internet in France is
language. The Minitel's content is 100% French, but the web's content
is 75% English, 3% French. While 30% of French citizens speak English,
according to a recent Eurobarometer study, speaking a language is
quite different from surfing in it.
*****
"People naturally prefer to surf in their own language, unless they
have a real reason to surf in English (for work research, better
prices, etc.) To increase the intensity of French Internet use, sites
that offer French as an option are a must."
*****
"Nevertheless, the French Internet population grew 47% from 1999 to
2000 (higher growth than other European countries) and now stands at
10.9 M people (source: Nielsen/NetRatings). There are only an
estimated 10.9 M Internet users now in France (an 18% penetration
rate), well behind rates in the US, the UK, the Netherlands and
Germany. Acceptance rates of ecommerce were not high: some 850,000
French people had bought online before April, 2000 (one-third of the
numbers in England or Germany)."
(Read more)
Language preference:
===================
"Almost 34% of French respondents prefer to visit websites in English,
while 62% prefer sites in French."
From "Return on Investment for Multilingual Web Sites: the "Dream
Scenario" ROI Model," by Jesus Maroto. Euro RSCG Wnek Gosper. (2003)
http://www.eurorscg.co.uk/localization/images/Return%20on%20investment.pdf
=
"Language is a key issue in this (French) market. While most Internet
sites are in English, French users prefer sites in their native
tongue. Use local marketing help to give you an edge in understanding
the cultural and linguistic nuances of this important market. The
conversion of Minitel users to the Internet will be a great boon, but
your Web site must appear as local as possible."
From "Internet Special Report: Europe's Enticing E-markets," by Rainer
Hengst. Target Marketing. (June 2000)
http://targetmarketingmag.com/sics/277349634877502.bsp
==
Also read:
"Targeting French-speaking Markets," by Bill Dunlap. (1998)
http://glreach.com/eng/ed/art/rep-eur11.html
Business Use:
============
From "Half of French Small Businesses Online." NUA (1999)
http://www.nua.ie/surveys/index.cgi?f=VS&art_id=905354681&rel=true
"In a seminar on Ecommerce in Paris this week, the French Minister for
Finance, Strauss-Kahn, announced that 50 percent of all small
companies in France are now online. This is twice the amount of small
businesses online in 1997."
"The Minister also announced that revenue from sales on the Internet
in France were between USD86 and USD170 million during 1998."
"In recognition of the fact that previous governments did not
prioritise the uptake of new technologies, the present government
continue to make a concerted effort to catch up."
"In recognition of the potential of the Internet to improve current
structures, Strauss-Kahn commented, "The Internet is a tool that can
modernize public service. It must also be used to simplify things,
both for individuals and small businesses,".
=====
SPAIN
=====
General overview:
================
The following is from Global Reach
http://glreach.com/gbc/es/spanish.php3
The Spanish language ("Español", in Spanish) is spoken by 332 Million
people in the world, in:
Spain
Venezuela
Argentina
Chile
Mexico
Most of Central and South America (except for Brazil). Most Latin
American countries have less than 100 K people online, so we will not
give a full listing
U.S.
==
Read "Fewer Spanish and Italians going online." NUA (Nov. 2002)
http://www.nua.ie/surveys/index.cgi?f=VS&art_id=905358590&rel=true
==
Business Use:
============
From "Spanish SMEs using Net to source suppliers." NUA (Dec 2002)
http://www.nua.ie/surveys/index.cgi?f=VS&art_id=905358646&rel=true
"Over 40 percent of Small and Medium Enterprises in Spain use the
Internet to search for suppliers, reports Europemedia."
"According to the Spanish Chambers of Commerce, 42 percent of
companies use the Net to search for suppliers while 40 percent use it
to search for new business opportunities."
"Additionally, 32 percent of Spanish SMEs use the Internet to locate
new clients, 25 percent use it to analyse their business rivals
strategies, and 22 percent use it to access the media."
"Sixty percent of Internet users in SMEs were found to be senior
managers, while 46 percent were department heads and 25 percent,
technical managers."
"Two-thirds of SMEs updated their websites on a yearly basis while
just 10 percent did so one a week."
=====
ITALY
=====
General overview:
=================
The following is from Global Reach
http://glreach.com/gbc/it/italian.php3
The Italian language ("Italiano", in Italian) is spoken in:
Italy
U.S.
Switzerland
Austria
Australia
==
Read "Fewer Spanish and Italians going online." NUA (Nov. 2002)
http://www.nua.ie/surveys/index.cgi?f=VS&art_id=905358590&rel=true
Business use:
============
From "0.5 percent of talian SMEs sell online." NUA (Jan 2002)
http://www.nua.ie/surveys/index.cgi?f=VS&art_id=905357519&rel=true
"Sixty-nine percent of small firms in Italy have Internet access, and
38 percent have their own websites, reports Europemedia."
"According to a poll of 500 Italian SMEs by GoToWeb, Italian SMEs tend
to have a conservative attitude towards the Internet. Most have poor
knowledge of the potential offered by the Web, and lack technological
know-how."
"Eighty-nine percent of those SMEs with Internet access use email, 52
percent browse online for general information, and 32 percent research
their competitors."
"Only 15 percent of those with access have bought goods online and, of
those, only 26 percent had bought online for business reasons. Forty
percent of those who had bought online said they would not do so again
because of payment and delivery problems."
"Of those small firms with websites, 93 percent present corporate
information online, 55 percent have an online catalogue, and 0.5
percent sell goods or services online."
===========
SCANDINAVIA
============
Business and Personal Use:
=========================
(Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway)
From "Scandinavia: a recipe for web success." NUA (Dec. 2000)
http://www.nua.ie/surveys/index.cgi?f=VS&art_id=905356213&rel=true
"The fact that all Scandinavian countries have higher rates of
Internet penetration than the rest of Europe is no coincidence, as
recent analysis from eMarketer shows."
"PC penetration in Denmark was over 40 percent in 1999, largely due to
a government policy that allows companies to deduct the cost of
computers from their tax bills."
"The high level of PC ownership in the country, widespread telephone
ownership, an IT-literate workforce, and the low cost of Internet
access have contributed toward the country's high rate of Internet
adoption. Currently, 38 percent of the adult population of Denmark
(1.7 million people) are active web users."
"Finland, home of mobile-communications-giant Nokia, is a tech-savvy
nation, with two-thirds of the workforce using information technology
at work. The Finnish are motivated to use the Internet by low access
costs, the prevalence of free Internet terminals at public libraries
and schools, and the large distances separating people."
"It's estimated that 1.9 million people, or 44 percent of the Finnish
adult population, will use the Internet for at least one hour a week
in 2000."
"Sweden's rate of Internet adoption can be attributed to its
well-developed telecommunications infrastructure, high PC penetration,
prosperous economy, and educated population. Over 50 percent of
Swedish adults (3.9 million people) are active Internet users."
"Internet penetration in Norway is currently at 45 percent of the
adult population. As with the other Nordic countries, the growth in
Internet access has been fostered by advanced infrastructures, high PC
and telephone penetration, a strong economy, and low connection
rates."
"However, high taxes and the fact that it’s not a member of the EU
(and therefore doesn’t use the Euro) mean that there are more
constraints on Internet and ecommerce growth in Norway than in the
rest of Scandinavia."
SWEDEN
======
From "From "Internet Special Report: Europe's Enticing E-markets," by
Rainer Hengst. Target Marketing. (June 2000)
http://targetmarketingmag.com/sics/277349634877502.bsp
**
"Swedes are acclimated to online buying, and they actually prefer
visiting English-language sites."
**
"Although smaller than the previously discussed markets, Sweden offers
excellent opportunities for U.S. e-tailers. This is a country that is
highly advanced technologically, with almost half of its 8 million
citizens currently online.The country already is a leader in wireless
technologies, has a highly developed Internet banking industry and is
promising a national broadband network soon."
==
On the other hand, it appears that Swedes want to surf in Swedish,
and it is necessary to drag them to your website in their native
language first.
From "Aren't Websites in English Sufficient for People Overseas?" by
Bill Dunlap. (1998)
http://glreach.com/eng/ed/art/rep-eur8.html
"Certainly most everyone online in Holland and in Sweden can also read
English. But top Internet marketers from both countries state
categorically that people in their country do not, in fact, surf the
Web in English. They access the Web in Dutch and Swedish. No big
surprise. After all, the Web is a media like any other, and people
always access media in their own language, not in English... even in
Holland and in Sweden (probably the most English literate countries in
Europe). No one would ever think of producing content or advertising
in print media in English in these countries, nor in any
non-Anglophone country. Nor would it be thinkable to advertise in
English on TV or radio in non-Anglophone countries. Nor would one ever
waste one's money in sending out a direct mailing in English in these
countries. So why should the idea ever be entertained to use English
in another marketing medium -- the Web -- to reach people in
non-Anglophone countries?"
*** Please read entire article for a perspective on how important it
is to market to the native language speaker!
==
"Sweden comes first in ereadiness rankings." Economist Intelligence
Unit
(Apr 04 2003.
http://www.nua.com/surveys/index.cgi?f=VS&art_id=905358756&rel=true
Sweden has overtaken the US to become the leading nation in terms of
ereadiness, according to new research from the Economist Intelligence
Unit (EIU).Ereadiness is defined as the extent to which a country’s
business environment is ready for Internet-based commercial
opportunities.
Ranking is based on a number of factors including connectivity and
technology infrastructure, business environment, consumer and business
adoption, social and cultural infrastructure, and legal and policy
environment and support services.
The US had come top in the EIU’s e-readiness rankings for the past
three years, but the downturn in the US economy has meant that other
nations have gained ground. Scandinavian countries in particular,
dominate the top ten positions.
According to the Unit, What sets Scandinavia apart is the extent to
which the Internet has pervaded the marketplace and reshaped business
transactions, and the eagerness with which citizens have incorporated
Internet technology into their daily routines.
Denmark took second place in the latest e-readiness rankings, while
the Netherlands, US and the UK tied for third position. Finland and
Norway took sixth and seventh place respectively, while Switzerland
came eighth and Australia ninth. Canada and Hong Kong tied for the ten
spot.
In contrast to their northern European neighbours, Southern Europeans
regard the Internet sceptically and are reluctant to move business
online, according to the EIU. Among the region's stragglers are Italy
(21st), Portugal (22nd), Spain (23rd) and Greece (26th).
=============
EASTERN EUROPE
==============
General overview of internet use:
=================================
"Net usage up in Central and Eastern Europe," IDC (Feb 19 2003)
http://www.nua.ie/surveys/?f=VS&art_id=905358723&rel=true
The percentage of Internet users going online at least once a month
in Central and Eastern Europe will reach 17 percent in 2003, according
to IDC.
The research company’s latest study suggests that Internet usage rates
in the region is climbing steadily, particularly in Estonia and
Slovenia where Internet penetration levels are on par with those in
Western Europe.
By 2006, around 27 percent of Internet users in Central and Eastern
Europe will go online at least once a month.
Total Internet connections are projected to reach 5.6 million in 2003,
of which, dial-up connections will account for 85 percent of the
total.
IDC is also predicting a rise in ecommerce spending in Central and
Eastern Europe. Total spending is projected to reach USD4.4 billion
this year. Of this total, B2B will account for 90 percent and will
continue to constitute the bulk of ecommerce spending over the next
five years. In 2006, the total ecommerce market should reach USD17.6
billion.
The key ecommerce markets in the region are the Czech Republic,
Hungary, and Poland, which together constitute 90 percent of the
market’s total value.
==
Business Use:
============
From "Eastern Europe Slow to Embrace Ecommerce." NUA (Nov. 1999)
http://www.nua.ie/surveys/index.cgi?f=VS&art_id=905355409&rel=true
:Reconnecting Europe, a report on Internet uptake in Central and
Eastern Europe by Andersen Consulting finds that despite burgeoning
entrepreneurialism, the former Eastern Bloc has been slow to develop
ecommerce.":
"70 percent of executives interviewed said that compared to one decade
ago their business was unrecognisable. Countries such as the Czech
Republic, Estonia and Hungary are emerging as the regions market
leaders due to their ability to adopt privatisation quickly, the
report found. Meanwhile, countries such as Romania and Bulgaria are
slow to privatise and are thus being left behind."
"The study found that 3 percent of Central Europeans own a PC and less
than 1 percent of people in the Baltic States own a computer. Price
was cited as a major factor."
"25 percent of Hungarians interviewed said they would not buy online
due to perceived security risks. State initiatives to reduce the cost
of using the Web is expected to be realised between 2001 and 2003
throughout the region."
"The study interviewed over 600 executives in the CEE countries
applying for EU membership. The countries were, Bulgaria, the Czech
Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania,
Slovakia and Slovenia."
==
==========================
OVERVIEW OF ONLINE BUSINESS
===========================
From "EU online trade to reach USD2.1 trillion in 2006." NUA (2002)
http://www.nua.ie/surveys/index.cgi?f=VS&art_id=905358296&rel=true
"A new report by Forrester Research projects that online trade will
account for 22 percent of all European business trade in 2006. At the
end of 2001, online trade revenues totaled EUR77 million (USD75
million), equivalent to less than one percent of total business trade
in the EU. But Forrester forecast that online trade in Europe will
increase dramatically over the next four years to reach EUR2.2
trillion (USD2.1 trillion) in 2006."
"The research company predicts that electrical equipment, chemicals,
and logistics will spearhead the growth in European online trade from
2003 onwards. In chemicals and logistics, more than seven percent of
trade will be conducted online, while trade in industrial machinery, *
manufacturing,* metals, energy and utilities will double from 2003 to
2006."
"Overall, growth in industrial sectors will account for EUR945 billion
(USD922 billion) in 2004, representing 9.9 percent of total business
trade."
"Forrester predicts that while European industries are poised for
rapid growth in online trade, growth will vary across countries with
Scandinavia leading the pack. In Denmark and Sweden, 17 percent of
business will be conducted over the Net in 2004 and the two economies
will account for 10 percent of total online trade in Europe. France,
Germany, and the UK are also likely to increase their level of trade
online and combined, will account for 23 percent of sales online,
while their combined trade volumes will represent 64 percent of the
EU’s total online trade. However, countries in Southern Europe are not
expected to dramatically increase their level of online trade in the
coming years.
Online trade in Italy will flounder at 2.2 percent while neither
Greece nor Portugal will have more than 10 percent of B2B trade online
by 2006."
=============================================
WOULD A MULTILINGUAL SITE HELP YOUR BUSINESS?
==============================================
From "Home is Where the Internet Access Is, for Many Europeans," by
Kathleen Ohlson - IDG
(Jul 24 1998)
http://www.thestandard.com/article/0,1902,1199,00.html
"Language is another barrier for buying on the Internet. For the core
Internet user, many are English speakers. The new Web users coming
online are not comfortable with English, so they will never buy from
an American site," Hejndorf said. "They want to be able to read terms
and conditions in their currency, in their own language."
==
"Global e-business: Walking the talk," by Adrian Mello. ZDNet. (Nov.
19, 2001)
http://techupdate.zdnet.com/techupdate/stories/main/0,14179,2824486,00.html
"The most obvious barrier to international e-business is language.
According to Forrester Research, 63 percent of all Fortune 100 Web
sites are available only in English. And a joint study by IDC and
WorldLingo, an online translation company, showed that almost 90
percent of the world's top companies fail to respond adequately to
e-mail messages sent in a foreign language.
Companies must brush up on their language skills if they hope to
engage the growing number of people that use the Web internationally.
IDC forecasts that 1 billion people will have access to the Web by
2005, but less than 25 percent of them will live in the United States
and more than 70 percent will speak a language other than English.
That's a lot of business waiting to be tapped.
==
From "English to You; Greek to Them," by John Edwards. CIO (1/15/01)
http://www.itworld.com/Tech/2403/CIO010115et/
"UPS realized more than four years ago that people tend to be most
comfortable viewing websites that use their own language. "Local
language support is a courtesy that increases trust in your company
while encouraging repeated and longer site visits," says Rakesh Sapra,
UPS's director of interactive marketing.
"The company isn't alone in realizing that the Internet requires
global language support. Thirty-seven percent of websites operated by
Fortune 100 companies incorporate a language other than English,
according to Cambridge, Mass.-based Forrester Research. Yet,
surprisingly, that figure hasn't budged much since 1998, when 32
percent of the companies Forrester surveyed offered multilingual
sites."
"Although the need for multilingual websites is rapidly growing,
multiple language support still isn'tt a requirement for every
company. For small and midsize organizations that limit their business
activities to a circle of English-speaking customers and business
partners, multilingual support is probably more trouble that it's
worth. But such companies are dwindling in number. "If you do business
in one or more non-English-speaking countries, or even with the
growing number of ethnic groups in North America, you'll want to want
to make sure that your customers can understand what you're trying to
tell them," says Ryan Hamlin, chief technical officer of CarPoint,
Microsoft's Web-based car shopping service. The Redmond, Wash.-based
venture offers a bilingual French-English website for Canadian users."
===
"Multilingual sites imperative for large firms." Aberdeen Group (May
18 2001)
http://www.nua.com/surveys/index.cgi?f=VS&art_id=905356776&rel=true
* "The Aberdeen study found that Internet users will stay up to twice
as long on a site, and are four times as likely to buy from that site,
if the content is available in their own language."
Major US companies need to adopt multicultural, multilingual websites
in order to compete effectively, raise sales, and lower costs,
according to the Aberdeen Group.
The number of Fortune 100 companies with multilingual sites grew from
33 in 1999 to 57 by the end of last year. By then, 52 percent of the
world’s Internet users were non-English speakers and this figure is
set to rise to 68 percent in the next two years, says Aberdeen. In the
same time frame, the proportion of ecommerce spending generated
outside the US will rise to 66 percent.
If companies make services such as FAQs and account status information
available in a customer’s native language, those companies will save
money on customer service phone calls. Each of these international
calls can cost up to USD60, while servicing a customer online costs
less than USD1.
Aberdeen says 80 percent of all B2B sites will be multilingual within
three years, while B2C sites should achieve this goal within two
years.
===
"English-Only a Mistake for U.S. Sites," by Lori Enos. E-Commerce
Times. (May 17, 2001)
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/9812.html
"Companies that do not globalize their Web sites are "missing a fairly
large-sized business opportunity," Aberdeen managing director Thomas
L. Dwyer told the E-Commerce Times." According to Aberdeen, creating a
multilingual Web presence is likely to extend a company's market reach
at a low cost. Aberdeen is also predicting that 66 percent of all
e-commerce spending will be outside of the U.S. within the next two
years. Dwyer said that increased sales would be the first wave of
benefits realized by globalizing, and cost savings would be the
second."
***
On average, Web surfers stay on a site two times longer if the content
is available in their native language, according to Dwyer.
Additionally, consumers are four times more likely to buy something
from a native language Web site, because it is easier for them to
thoroughly research the product and the company.
***
Buyers are also more likely to return an item if the Web site is not
optimized for international transactions. Aberdeen found that the
return rate for products sold internationally is a staggering 46
percent.
===
"Report from the LISA Forum Europe: The experts discuss the state of
the industry." The LISA Newsletter. (Nov. 2002)
http://www.lisa.org/archive_domain/newsletters/2002/4.4/HDReport.html
"60% of Web users do not speak English, while less than 10% of
Websites are truly localized and globalized, despite studies showing
that users are three times more likely to buy through the Web if
information is presented in their native language. Other studies have
shown that 50% of users do not engage in sales on sites that are not
in their native language, even if they actually want to make
purchases. In addition, the costs of support and services are
demonstrably much lower if information is presented on the site in the
customers' native language. The message is simple: translate or lose
market share."
====
"Top 3 Things North American Businesses Must Know About International
Internet Marketing."
(Interview in Marketing Sherpa) June 2001
http://glreach.com/eng/ed/art/rep-eur24.php3
Excerpt:
As of March 2001, only 47.5% of people surfing the Internet spoke
English as their primary language. Yet, many North American businesses
don't see this number as cause for alarm. B2B marketers say, "Well in
our industry, most executives worldwide speak at least some English so
we don't need to worry about translating our Web site."
Thing is, most business executives in non-English speaking countries
not only prefer to be addressed in their own language, but they also
are more likely to use search engines in their own language.
==
"The Shift of Emphasis in Online Marketing to Other Countries," by
Bill Dunlap. June 2000.
http://glreach.com/eng/ed/art/rep-eur21.php3
"While it is not necessary to translate your entire Web site into a
number of languages, you really should consider translating at least
the most important pages. Yes, it is true that many people overseas
read English (but far fewer feel comfortable to write you email in
English). The real issue at stake is a marketing issue: marketing
always takes place in the language of the target market. Willy Brandt,
the former German chancellor, put it this way:
"If I'm selling to you, I speak your language. If I'm buying, dann
müssen Sie Deutsch sprechen [then you must speak German]."
"You want to get their attention, don't you, so they will visit your
Website? Then you have to find your visitors in their own language.
Getting them to arrive on your Website is the hard part. Assuming they
want to spend time there, they click into the site. If they come
across English pages... either they stay (because they read English
and are interested) or they don't read English and click elsewhere."
===
"Reasons for Success in International E-Commerce: Speaking the
Customer's Language," by Bill Dunlap. (1999)
http://glreach.com/eng/ed/art/reasonsforglobal.html
"Europeans and Asians have used multiple languages for centuries when
selling to one another, recognizing that marketing occurs in the
language of the target market."
"Recent figures from the Forrester Research state that 80% of
European- based corporate sites are multi-lingual. With a limited
number of U.S.-based multi-lingual Websites available, who do you
think will have a better chance of capturing the international online
market?"
"There's a big world outside of English-speaking countries, and if
companies don't translate their Website, they pave the way for
aggressive competition for international business from other
countries."
======
From "Return on Investment for Multilingual Web Sites: the "Dream
Scenario" ROI Model," by Jesus Maroto. Euro RSCG Wnek Gosper. (2003)
http://www.eurorscg.co.uk/localization/images/Return%20on%20investment.pdf
"According to mark Jarvis, vice-president of global marketing at
Oracle, localizing for every country is not always the best solution.
Oracle switched its strategy in 1999 to targeting by language rather
than by individual country. "German is spoken in Germany, Switzerland
and Austria, so why create three marketing teams?" he asks. "We're
still in the process of refining this strategy, but ten languages
cover 93% of the world's population."
============
Again, I want to reiterate that the amount of information you are
seeking would require some very individualized searching by country
and by industry. Eastern Europe, in itself, would have to be divided
into seperate countries to search for statistics. I will be happy to
see what I can uncover in a more specialized search if you want to
pursue this subject further. You may request me by name, or leave it
open for the researcher community at large.
I truly hope this information is helpful. It has required a lot of
"piecing together" of individual facts to come up with an answer that
is remotely comprehensive!
Please do not hesitate to ask for clarification if needed, and I will
try my best to help if I can.
umiat-ga
Google Search Strategy
+Germany AND +language +preference
Europe AND +internet language preference
need for multilingaul websites
NUA Internet surveys - http://www.nua.ie/surveys/
Uk internet business use
german business internet use"
"Finland internet"
"italy internet use"
language preference
native language use
manufacturing |
