According to the Pew Research Center, 72% of Americans have used some type of shared or on-demand online service. Pew surveyed 4,787 American adults in what it calls “…its first-ever comprehensive study of the scope and impact of the shared, collaborative, and on-demand economy….” The center released the results on Thursday.
Half of respondents reported purchasing used or second-hand goods online—the most widely used service out of 11 categories. Other categories included obtaining same-day or expedited delivery (41% of respondents), purchasing tickets from an online reseller (28%), purchasing handmade or artisanal products (22%), and contributing to an online fundraising project (22%).
However, it turns out that most (73%) of the participants in the “sharing economy” are not familiar with the term, and 89% are not familiar with the term “gig economy,” according to Aaron Smith at Pew. He writes, “…around one-quarter of Americans (28%) say they have not used any major shared or on-demand platforms, and many are wholly unfamiliar with the tools and vocabulary of the new digital economy. For instance, 15% of Americans have used ride-hailing apps like Uber or Lyft, but twice as many have never heard of these apps before. Similarly, 11% of Americans have used home-sharing platforms like Airbnb or VRBO, but roughly half have never heard of home-sharing sites.”
He notes that, unsurprisingly, the services are most popular among college graduates, those with high household incomes, and those under the age of 45. The services are also more popular in and around urban population centers, with some not offered in rural areas.
Overall, Smith writes, men and women are equally likely to use online services, but women are twice as likely as men to purchase handmade or artisanal goods online.
You can read the complete report here.
