Editing Market segmentation (section)

==== Online customer segmentation ====

Online market segmentation is similar to the traditional approaches in that the segments should be identifiable, substantial, accessible, stable, differentiable, and actionable.<ref>Gretchen Gavett, July 09/2014, What You Need to Know About Segmentation, Harvard Business Review, accessed online 3/04/2017: [https://hbr.org/2014/07/what-you-need-to-know-about-segmentation]</ref> Customer data stored in online data management systems such as a [[Customer relationship management|CRM]] or [[Data management platform|DMP]] enables the analysis and segmentation of consumers across a diverse set of attributes.<ref>{{cite web|title = Management Tools - Customer Relationship Management |url= http://www.bain.com/publications/articles/management-tools-customer-relationship-management.aspx |website=bain.com |access-date=23 November 2015}}</ref> Forsyth et al., in an article 'Internet research' grouped current active online consumers into six groups: Simplifiers, Surfers, Bargainers, Connectors, Routiners, and Sportsters. The segments differ regarding four customers' behaviours, namely:<ref>Forsyth, John E.; Lavoie, Johanne; McGuire, Tim. Segmenting the e-market. McKinsey Quarterly. 2000, Issue 4, p14-18. 5p.</ref>

* The amount of time they actively spend online,
* The number of pages and sites they access,
* The time they spend actively viewing each page,
* And the kinds of sites they visit.

For example, ''Simplifiers'' make up over 50% of all online transactions. Their main characteristic is that they need easy (one-click) access to information and products as well as easy and quickly available service regarding products. [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]] is an example of a company that created an online environment for Simplifiers. They also 'dislike unsolicited e-mail, uninviting chat rooms, pop-up windows intended to encourage impulse buys, and other features that complicate their on- and off-line experience'. Surfers like to spend a lot of time online, thus companies must have a variety of products to offer and constant updates, ''Bargainers'' are looking for the best price, Connectors like to relate to others, ''Routiners'' want content, and ''Sportsters'' like sport and entertainment sites.