Virtual Goods Sales Rising

Via Cynopsis Digital mailing list:

 

The practice of using real world greenbacks to purchase virtual goods is climbing according to a new survey of 2,412 people from Magid & Associates and in-game commerce company PlayScan. Buying habits aren't changing but more people are getting into the game, with some 13% of the overall population surveyed buying virtual goods in the last 12 months, with the mean of digital good purchase up 14% from $87 in 2009 to $99 in 2010. The median of digital goods purchase is $50 in 2010 - a 67% improvement from $30 in 2009. Global revenues from the sales of virtual goods will eclipse $10 billion in 2010, according to projections from "various sources."
 
Largest demographic of consumers who have reported buying virtual goods:
1. Males ages 18 to 24 (31%)
2. Males ages 8 to 11 and 12 to 17 (both at 23%)
3. Males 25 to 34 (21%)
4. Females ages 8 to 11 (16%)
5. Females ages 12 to 17 (15%)
6. Females ages 18 to 24 (14%)
 
Where consumers are buying from:
1. In a game (57%)
2. The official Web site outside the virtual world or game (38%)
3. E-commerce site such as PlaySpan (16%)
4. Another player (8%)
5. Other (8%)
6. Not sure (8%)
 
Type of game or environment where consumers have bought from:
1. A free, web-based game (37%)
2. A social network site, other than a game (31%)
3. A free multiplayer computer game (29%)
4. A game on a social network site (29%)
5. A connected console marketplace (21%)
6. A paid, subscription based multiplayer game (18%)
7. An online virtual world (11%)
8. Other (6%)
Source: Frank N. Magid Associates, PlaySpan, Inc.
 
Nearly two-thirds of all online software purchases were digital downloads in 2010, up slightly from 2009, according to the new report from The NPD Group. Online digital downloads of new products accounted for 23% of online purchases, up from 22% in 2009. Online subscription renewals accounted for 34%, down one percentage point from 2009, and trial-to-paid conversions amounted to 8% of sales, up from 6% in 2009.