'One iPhone, please.'

Benchmark 2007: Retail, a survey by Forrester, reports that the growth of online shopping is still guided by the most "tenured" online shoppers, according to Research Recap.

57 percent of online adults have purchased an item online in the last three months. This data has led to the erroneous perception that online shopping is now mainstream, according to Forrester.

In fact, the online market is still ruled by Early Adopters (EAs). This segment comprises 36 percent of the North American population - and 53 percent of online shoppers.

Early Adopters' favorite purchases include books, event tickets and music.

EAs also exhibit two crucial features: A preference for shopping convenience, and a tendency to actively shop in stores, as well as online.

The survey identified three consumer types in total:

• Early Adopters which, despite the price constraints of new technology, are willing to try them before any other segment of the population is willing. This constitutes 36 percent of the population.
• Mainstream Consumers, who wait until a technology's benefits are proven, or at least until the price is lowered, before purchasing. 43 percent of North American adults belong to this category.
• Sidelined Citizens, the last of their peers to adopt a new technology. This group is made up of 21 percent of North American adults. For them, price is always an issue, even after a technology has proven its value.

The Forrester survey tracked data from 58,993 households in the US and Canada, with respondents aged 18 and older, during the months of February to March '07.