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Report: Online Classified Use Soars

  • AFP, Tuesday, May 26, 2009 12:30 PM
A new survey from the Pew Internet and American Life Project reveals that the use of online classifieds sites like Craigslist among U.S. adults is soaring. According to the study, which was released last week, 45% of Web users use online classifieds sites, compared with 22% of online adults in 2005; on any given day, 9% of U.S. Internet users visit classifieds sites, up from 4% in 2005. In all, classifieds sites averaged 53.8 million uniques in March 2009, with Craigslist alone receiving 42.2 million uniques.

Pew noted that the rise of the likes of Craigslist have stripped many American newspapers of an important revenue source for them. The research group also said the findings "highlight the growing importance of such sites to Internet users and reflect the changes in the audience for classified ads-both those who place them and those who make purchases."

Sixty-two percent of users between the ages of 25 and 34 said they used online classifieds, as did 57% of those aged 35 to 44, 49% of those aged 18 to 24, 48% of 45-54 year-olds and 35% of 55 to 64 year-olds. Only 26% of Web users aged 65 and older said they use online classifieds. The survey queried 1,687 Internet users, and was conducted between March 26 and April 19. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percentage points.

Read the whole story at AFP »

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