Poland

There were 20,020,362 internet users in Poland (representing 52.0% of the population) in September 2009, according to Internet World Stats. This was up by 615% compared to 2000. (Internet World Stats, November 2009)

---

About 45% of the people living in Poland use the internet and almost 70% of Polish internet users use internet every day or almost every day, according to a study conducted by MillwardBrown SMG/KRC, a market research company. About 17% of Polish internet users claimed to use the internet a few times a week. A considerable majority of Polish internet users use the internet at home - 87%, whilst over 25% say they use it at work. 

The most visited websites in Poland are on the Google, Allegro and Onet portals. Subsequent positions are held by Nasza-klasa, Wirtualna Polska, Interia and Wikipedia. (IT and Telecoms in Poland, October 2008)

---

According to a Eurostat report, in Q1 2008 about 48% of Polish households had access to the internet.  In the same period of 2007 only 41% of survey participants said they had home internet access, while in 2006 this figure was approximately 36%. (IT and Telecom Poland, December 2008)

---

eMarketer estimates the number of internet users and penetration level in Poland for the period between 2007 and 2012 as follows:
- 2007: 15.0 million (39.0% of the population)
- 2008: 16.7 million (43.2%)
- 2009: 18.0 million (46.8%)
- 2010: 19.0 million (49.4%)
- 2011: 20.0 million (52.1%)
- 2012: 20.7 million (53.9%)
(eMarketer)

---

Poland's internet penetration rate reached 42% in Q2 2007, according to a report from the Polish publication "The Internet Standard".

In a country with a population of 38 million, SMG/KRC's NetTrack research places the internet population at 12.8 million internet users ages 15 years or older. Another research provider, Gemius/PBI, estimated almost 14.1 million internet users in May 2007. Poland's broadband penetration rate is 3.9%, compared to the European Union's 16.9%. In 2006, Poland had 6.9 broadband subscribers per 100 inhabitants, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

The Interactive Advertising Bureau in Poland estimated the internet advertising market in 2006 to be worth 60 million euros, or $95 million. internet advertising was an estimated 5% of the total media ad spend in Poland that year. In 2007, internet advertising was expected to reach 115 million euros, or $182 million. The report states that online market grows dynamically at a pace of 50% per year and is the fastest growing sector among all media.

The report compiles data from multiple sources, research organizations, and ISPs in Poland. (ClickZ.com, March 2008)

---

Almost 38% of Poles over 15 years of age have internet access, reflecting growth of more than 1/3 in comparison with 2005, according to a SMG/KRC survey, quoted by Rzeczpospolita. The rise was the most rapid anywhere in the world.

The increase was prompted by growing competition in the internet services provision market. The operators offered faster connections, and this resulted in more than 1 million new broadband users. The Office of Electronic Communications (UKE) estimates that there were over 2.8 million broadband subscribers at the end of 2006. Gemius, a company which monitors Polish internet use, insists that the increase was also a result of the growing popularity of ecommerce. (PMR Ltd, March 2007)

48% of households in Poland had access to the internet during the first quarter of 2008, according to the results of the survey on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) usage by Eurostat. This was up from 41% in 2007 and 36% in 2006. (Eurostat, December 2008)

---

In 2006, 45% of Polish households had a computer, and 36% were connected to the internet, according to the Central Statistical Office (GUS). Broadband was used by 22% of households. 

The GUS has announced that 44% of the population between 16 and 74 years of age are familiar with the internet search engines, 23% use internet discussion forums, and 12% use VoIP. Almost 8 million Poles had their own e-mail addresses in 2006. (PMR Ltd, March 2007)

The Polish Ministry of Economic Affairs plans to improve the regulations pertaining to e-commerce in Poland, according to the Deputy Minister who explained that around 10% of Poles shop online, whereas e-customers in the EU account for 7% on average. The EU directive concerning common rules for the internal market has, therefore, to be implemented. The directive is intended to simplify the procedures and alleviate the formalities pertaining to services in all EU states.

E-commerce representatives consider lack of trust to be the greatest obstacle to online trade. Only 12% of EU e-customers believe that shopping online is safe. Other barriers to e-commerce development include substantial commissions on electronic payments. (PMR Ltd - IT & Telecoms in Central & Eastern Europe, August 2009)

---

Online shopping is gaining in popularity in Poland because of the recession, according to Rzeczpospolita. Poles have started to buy products such as food and holiday trips over the internet, which had not previously been associated with shopping of this kind.

Around 3% of Polish customers purchase household products online and 1.5% buy food via the internet, according to a report prepared by GfK Polonia. In total 10% of Polish customers shop online and around 16 million Poles have access to the internet.

Eric McCloskey, of the Boston Consulting Group, quoted that Poles have started to save money as the recession continues and tend, therefore, to shop via e-stores, where the prices are up to 20% lower than those of standard outlets. (PMR Ltd, July 2009)

---

Poles spent PLN4.5 billion (€1 billion) on shopping via the internet in 2008, according to Dariusz Bogdan, the deputy Minister of Economic Affairs. The average e-transaction was worth PLN850 (€190.60). (PMR Ltd, June 2009)

---

Poles spent PLN11 billion (€2.5 billion) on online shopping in 2008, 36.4% more than the previous year. according to a report prepared by the Stowarzyszenie Marketingu Bezposredniego (Direct Marketing Association, SMB), quoted in Rzeczpospolita.

e-Commerce holds a 2% share of Polish retail market value, and its growth rate has outperformed other channels, by way of comparison, in 2008 sales of traditional stores increased by 13%. The auction portals account for the most substantial proportion of online retail sales. The turnover generated by internet auctions was PLN6.5 billion (€1.5 billion). (PMR Ltd, April 2009)

---

12% of all individuals in Poland had used internet for ordering goods or services in the first quarter of 2008, according to the results of the survey on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) usage by Eurostat. (Eurostat, December 2008)

---

The Polish internet market is rapidly advancing, according to a report published by Internet Standard entitled "Digital Landscape Poland 2008".

Internet penetration in Poland reached 42% in 2007, translating to 12.8 million users ages 15 and older, according to SMG/KRC NetTrack. Of those users, nearly 65% logged on every day. 

The Polish online advertising market grew by over 50% in 2007, reaching €115 million ($158 million), according to IAB Polska. Search advertising accounted for 27% of the total or €30.5 million, while all other formats totalled €84.5 million. This compares to 2006 when the market value totaled €76 million ($96 million). Back then, the search advertising market was worth €16.6 million, while other formats totalled €60 million. 

The report notes that Polish online advertising now accounts for more than 5% of all media spending in Poland. And, as in the US and around the world, internet advertising is the fastest-growing sector among all media in Poland. (eMarketer, January 2008)

---

Polish internet users have been buying goods online more frequently than in 2005 and spent more on this form of shopping in 2006, according to a Gemius report on the Polish internet in 2006. 

The findings show that the proportion of internet users who bought something online climbed from 41% in 2005 to 55%. Auctions (77%) were more popular than e-shops (57%) among those shopping online. Users shopping via auctions emphasise that they are able to find better bargains by such means and that the offer is much more extensive than that of the online stores. 

The proportion of internet users shopping online via only e-stores or auctions has declined, in contrast to that of people who buy things via both, which has increased. 

Gemius reports that in August 2006 Allegro.pl, the most prominent Polish online auctioning service, was visited by 54.5% of all internet users. On average, each of the visitors spent 2 hours 46 minutes browsing through the items on offer at that time, the equivalent of 6% of total time online that month. 

The most popular online stores were those selling books with 1 in 4 internet users having visited these. 64% of online shoppers have bought books, CDs or DVDs online. (PMR Ltd, March 2007)

14% of all individuals aged 16-74 in Poland had used internet for travel and accommodation services in the first quarter of 2008, according to the results of the survey on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) by Eurostat. (Eurostat, December 2008)

38% of households in Poland had a broadband internet connection during the first quarter of 2008, according to the results of the survey on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) usage by Eurostat. This was up from 30% in 2007 and 22% in 2006. (Eurostat, December 2008)