Oman's Internet users spend $236m in 2008 on retail e-commerce

Arab Advisors major online survey of Oman's Internet users revealed that 40.2% of adult Internet users in Oman have used e-commerce. The Arab Advisors Group estimates the number of Oman Internet users who use e-commerce to be more than 158,000 which is around 5.62% of the total population in Oman, spending $236m in e-commerce transactions in 2008.

A new major survey of the Internet users in Oman was concluded by the Arab Advisors Group on January 29, 2009. The survey report, Oman Internet Users and E-commerce Survey 2009 was released on March 5, 2008 and provides the results of a major comprehensive online survey of Internet users in Oman. The survey covered the Internet usage, e commerce, cellular and Pay TV usage and habits of the online community in Oman. The survey's online field work was conducted during January 2009.

The report "Oman Internet Users and E-commerce Survey 2009 "has 100 pages and 107 exhibits. Please contact us to get a copy of the survey questions and the report's table of contents. The Arab Advisors Group now avails a secure online payment option for purchasing its reports.

Respondents were randomly targeted by receiving an email shot in their inbox to ask them to fill the survey in cooperation with Oman's incumbent telecom operator, Omantel. The survey results encompass answers from 696 respondents that passed rigorous quality control checks. Quality control was conducted by Arab Advisors Group's team. The survey was conducted on the general Internet population that is above 18 years of age. The online survey yields a confidence level of 99% with a margin of error of less than 5%.

This survey report can be purchased from the Arab Advisors Group for only $2,000 for subscribers to Arab Advisors Strategic Research Services. Non-Subscribers to Arab Advisors Groups Strategic Research Services can order the report for $2,750.

Mr. Hussam A. Barhoush, Arab Advisors Senior Research Analyst, mentioned in the report:

"VoIP usage among Internet users reached 27.0%. 20.7% of total respondents use special software packages (Skype, GoogleTalk, etc) to make calls through the Internet. The majority of respondents (73.0%) do not make calls through the Internet."

The Arab Advisors Group divided the survey questionnaire into four main sections: Telecommunications, Internet, e-services and Pay TV.

The sections provide a balanced focus on the following areas:

- Telecommunications

- Cellular suscriptions
- 3G Cellular services

- Internet Usage

- Internet usage trends
- Internet subscription types and ISPs used
- Internet usage
- Internet access methods and costs
- Mobile Internet

- e-commerce and m-commerce

- e-commerce and m-commerce trends
- Local and International e-commerce and m-commerce portals

- e-Banking services and Investments

- Online banking
- Mobile Banking
- Internet users' investments preferences

- e-government services

Pay TV

- Pay TV subscriptions
- Satellite receivers that can be updated through the Internet (such as Dream Box) usage

The Arab Advisors Group's team of analysts in the region has produced close to 1,410 reports on the Arab World's communications and media markets. The reports can be purchased individually or received through an annual subscription to Arab Advisors Group's Strategic Research Services (Media and Telecom). To date, Arab Advisors Group has served 525 global and regional companies by providing reliable research analysis and forecasts of Arab communications markets to these clients.