U.S. Loses Lead in Number of Internet Users

Reuters reports that the United States no longer leads the world in the number of people using the Web. They are citing research by Chinese firm BDA.

This past January, the China Internet Network Information Center pegged mainland Internet users at 210 million at the end of 2007. Nielsen/NetRatings put American Web users at 216 million for the same period. Based on the growth rate of Chinese users in 2007, BDA estimates that China has surpassed the U.S. for the first time in the sheer number of people who are online.

That doesn't mean there is parity in terms of content and the amount of money being spent online. According to BDA,

The United States still far outstrips China in the value of internet content, advertising and e-commerce, but BDA expects e-commerce to become the next boom sector in China as businesses and retailers take advantage of the mass market of consumers already online.

For online entrepreneurs, take heart! There is still plenty of growth left in online business. You're playing on a global marketplace now, and there are millions of potential customers who are just now getting online.

via BizReport