The first study of actual online behavior released earlier this week by McKinsey and Media Metrix shows that only half of online consumers are active users, logging on at least once a month. Furthermore, among those active users, six distinct segments have emerged: Simplifiers, Surfers, Connectors, Bargainers, Routiners and Sportsters.

McKinsey's John Forsyth said that marketers who try to reach all six at once, or approach them as if they were all alike, "do so at their peril," hence the title of the report - "All Website Visitors Are Not Created Equal."

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Here are some details the report provides --

Simplifiers use the Internet to make their lives easier, and tend to log on with a specific purpose in mind and they want to do it quickly and easily. Although Simplifiers spend just 7 hours per month on the Web, they have the longest tenure online (49% have been online for over 5 years) and account for half of the total online transactions.

Surfers constitute just 8% of the active user population, but they account for 32% of online time -- far more than any other segment in the study. They access over four times as many pages as the average user, and move quickly among the domains, continually seeking new experiences.

Connectors are relative novices, seeking reasons to use the Internet. Although Connectors account for 36% of the active user population, 40% of them have been online less than two years, and just 42% have made purchases online (versus an average of 61%). Connectors often use the Internet to "connect" with people through e-mail and chat rooms. However, they hold great potential to expand their use and become members of a different segment.

Bargainers are fiercely devoted to one aspect of the Internet: the quest for deals. Though they represent only 8% of active online users and spend less time online than the average user, they represent 52% of eBay visitors.

Routiners and Sportsters go online primarily for content. Only half of Routiners have made purchases online, and just 6% have made five or more online purchases. They visit fewer domains (typically news and financial sites), but spend almost twice as much time per page as average users.

Routiners want superior content and the sense they are getting "something special." Sportsters (just 4% of active online users) act much like Routiners, but focus on sports and entertainment sites. They spend just 7.1 hours online each month (versus a 9.8 average), and are drawn to fresh, colorful and interactive sites. End of report. Thank you jayde. I think your readers who are marketers, will gain some added knowledge of who is visiting their websites.

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