E-commerce in Spain
The Predictors of E-Commerce Use among Digital Television Subscribers in Spain
Abstract
The use of e-commerce is inversely related to the “old” leisure activities and is directly related to
the possibilities offered by new technology. It seems that a greater use of e-commerce is related
to the availability at home of a large amount of computer equipment and equipment related to
leisure which, at the same time, is compatible with the former. The best combination of
predictors of Internet shopping are, in order of importance, use of e-mail, time spent watching
television at weekends, use of the Internet and the use of a greater number of channels of the
digital television service (repertory). The results of our research work are based on a survey
involving personal interviews with members of 560 households in five Spanish cities who
subscribe to a TV digital packet, by cable or satellite.
Introduction
The subscribers of multi-channel pay television in Spain (cable and Digital +) are used to
being able to choose from a wide range of channels. There are more than 70 channels, and
subscribers are able to use the interface of the television screen to look for the programs which
interest them (for instance: the interactive program guide, IPG). While they are interacting, in
search of the programs offered by the basic and Premium channels included in the multi-channel
service, they purchase, through the use of the remote control, by phoning a call center or on the
Internet, principally soccer matches and movies, which means that they are introduced into the
direct purchase of symbolic products at a distance. Moreover, the fact that since 1998 the cable
industry in Spain has been offering multimedia services which combine the traditional multi-
channel television services with those of broadband Internet services through the cable-modem
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Convention