More Than 80% of Market Researchers Expect to Increase Use of Online Data Providers for Online Research
During Next Twelve Months According to Greenfield-Ciao Survey
Survey Reveals B2B Represents 34% of North American and 25% of European Market Research
Market researchers worldwide are expecting their companies' use of online data providers and
online access panels to increase in the next twelve months, according to The Online Research Barometer, a survey conducted by Greenfield
Online-Ciao Surveys, (Nasdaq: SRVY), the leading global provider of Internet survey solutions. Study results indicate that 82% of market
researchers surveyed in North America and 87% in Europe are predicting their use of online respondent providers will increase in the next twelve
months. This compares with 76% and 85%, respectively, when Greenfield Online-Ciao Surveys completed its last Online Research Barometer in
November 2005.
"The good news is that market researchers plan to continue to increase their use of online
studies to fulfill their research requirements," stated Albert Angrisani, President and Chief Executive Officer. "In addition, it is gratifying
to see the healthy overall percentage market researchers are devoting to B2B work as Greenfield Online-Ciao Surveys has made it a priority to
expand our global B2B product offering to meet the demand we see in the marketplace today. With B2B research commanding 34% and 25% of market
research efforts in North America and Europe, respectively, this confirms that our strategy to focus on growing our B2B practice is right on
target."
The two most important reasons for conducting market research online remained time,
mentioned by 81% of North American market researchers and 78% of Europeans, and competitive pricing (76% and 75%, respectively). North Americans
were particularly interested in access to complex target sample groups (62%). Europeans are particularly interested in the ability to access
respondents internationally (57%). However across North America and Europe, the ability to recruit large sample groups, as well as the ability to
use multi-media elements in questionnaires were also cited as important considerations for the use of online research.
"Despite a maturing market, with more than 80% of market researchers stating they plan to
increase their use of online research, the Barometer highlights the continued growth opportunity for the online survey industry," stated Keith
Price, Executive Vice President, North American Sales and Marketing.
The Greenfield Online-Ciao Surveys Barometer study also revealed differences in online
research by industry sector. As in previous Barometer studies, consumer goods continues to be the industry most using online research worldwide
(83% in North America, 71% Europe). In North America, Consulting, Banking/Finance/Insurance, and Construction are also important markets. In
Europe, researchers are more likely to be conducting online studies for the Banking/Finance/Insurance, Telecommunications, or Technology
industries.
"The Barometer data reveals that in the future, European market researchers expect to use
less of other methodologies such as telephone (30%) and face-to-face interviews (27%) in favor of online as a preferred research methodology,"
stated Nicolas Metzke, Managing Director Ciao Surveys. "This bodes well for further conversion from offline to online research in the
future."
This survey was conducted by Greenfield Online-Ciao Surveys among 289 marketer researchers
globally during the period July 31-August 24, 2007. The margin of error for a sample this size is approximately +/-5.8%.
About Greenfield Online, Inc.
Greenfield Online, Inc., headquartered in Wilton, CT, supplies the increasingly urgent demand of industry for better understanding
of consumers around the world. Our proprietary innovative technology enables us to collect thousands of consumer opinions quickly and
accurately, and to organize them into actionable form. We do this through our Internet survey solutions business in North America and
Europe by collecting, organizing and selling consumer opinions via survey responses for our clients on a global basis. Through our Ciao
comparison shopping portals we gather unique and valuable user-generated content via product and merchant reviews that help consumers and
visitors to our Ciao portals compare prices and make purchasing decisions. For more information visithttp://www.Greenfield.comorhttp://www.ciao-group.com. To join the panel to take surveys, visithttp://www.greenfieldonline.com.
Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under
The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the potential
growth opportunity for the online survey industry as represented by the Barometer study; as well as predictions and guidance relating to
the Company's future financial performance and customer demand for Internet survey solutions and comparison shopping services, in
particular, demand for the Visual Copy Editor and Visual Concept Evaluator products, sales bookings, bid volume, and backlog. In some
cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as, "may", "should", "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "feel",
"believes", "estimates", "predicts", "potential", "continue", "consider", "possibility", or the negative of these terms or other comparable
terminology. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and
financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs but they
involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward looking
statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks related to our ability to take advantage of potential growth
opportunities in the online survey industry, our ability to develop and deploy new technologies, our client satisfaction levels, our
ability to build and maintain the size and demographic composition of our panels, our panelists' responsiveness to our surveys, our
customers acceptance and continued use of our Real Time Sampling technique, our ability to accurately predict future revenue, our ability
to manage pricing pressure in North America and Europe, our reliance on our largest customers, the growing competitiveness of our
marketplace and our ability to compete therein, our ability to manage or accelerate our growth and international expansion, including the
ability to develop new panels, risks related to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, our ability to successfully integrate the
businesses we have recently acquired or may acquire in the future, our online business model, demand for our products and services, the
seasonality of demand for our Internet survey solutions and comparison shopping services, the outcome of legal proceedings pending against
the company, the strength of our brand and other risks detailed in the "Risk Factors" section of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K
and each subsequent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q that we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission available atwww.sec.govand under the Investor Relations section of our corporate website atwww.greenfield.com. You are urged to consider these factors
carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements herein and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking
statements, which are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements made herein speak only as of
the date of this press release and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect
subsequent events or circumstances.