MALE online shoppers outnumber their female counterparts two to one and are more likely to be wealthy, independent thinkers who generally don't mind the idea of Australia becoming a republic.

That is the state of play according to a series of surveys completed by research group APT Strategies on the types of Australians who buy products over the Internet, and what they expect to buy in the next six months.

Some of the results are hardly shocking, proving such theories as "the more time you spend online the more you'll spend online".

"The data we expected to see was the more time people spent on the Net the more likely they were to buy something," said APT analysts. "That was the case, and we found that people are spending quite reasonable amounts of around $300 a year."

On the other hand, other snippets of data shed new light on the online marketplace.

Nearly 12,000 people responded to the APT's Readership Shopping Survey for June, of which 43 per cent say they bought products or services over the Internet.

"The information contained in the surveys shows there is growing confidence in the security of Internet shopping, and increasing satisfaction with the whole online shopping experience," Mr Cranswick said.

According to the data, the average Net shopper is around 30 years old, male, and wealthy, earning close to $70,000 a year.

They tend to be the main decision-maker in the household. Just over half say they will vote for a republic.

Of those who have already bought products online, three-quarters plan to buy books online in the next six months, while nearly as many expect to also purchase CDs. No shocks there, right?

But then 58 per cent say they will probably buy sex products, way more than those who will buy groceries, which at 42 per cent is the lowest of all categories.

Not great news for Greengrocer.com.au but something to arouse the owners of Adultshop.com, the former Barbarella's.

Meanwhile, APT managing director Marc Phillips said the results also showed the Net was becoming a tool for consumers.

"This is not all about buying on the Net. Two thirds of people who use thebr> Net to purchase products are also expecting to pay bills online in the next six months. That's not buying, that's convenience."

The good thing for online merchants, or e-tailers, is that the longer people are connected to the Net, and the more frequently they use it, the more likely they are to buy stuff online.

Of the people who have been online for more than 18 months, 78 per cent say they have purchased goods on more than 10 occasions in that time.

Which means that all the people who came online in the past six to 12 months are only just getting warmed up.