Researchers of the Institute for Ecological Economic Research (IÖW) in Berlin conducted a representative Germany-wide survey with more than 2000 citizens on the subject of 'Peer-to-Peer-Sharing', that is the sharing between private individuals. Researches also examined which people feel most attracted to sharing between private entities and constructed respective target groups.
It shows that online sharing between private households may develop from a niche market towards being located at the center of society. In Germany, there exist already more than 100 platforms between service suppliers and users. More and more online platforms emerge, which enable sharing between private persons regarding cars, accommodation, clothing or offering a ride. So far, only 10 per cent of the population is familiar with these offers. According to the study, however, about one third could imagine to share commodities over the internet in the future. Currently, more men than women are using Peer-to-Peer-Sharing, but future potential lies among female consumers. Especially young people (aged below 34 years) with higher levels of education can be identified as a target group for Peer-to-Peer-Sharing.
The survey and conference were conducted in the context of the "PeerSharing" research project, which analyzes the ecological impact of online-based sharing between private households and looks at the obstacles that keep consumers from participating.
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