(MarketingVOX)

Double the proportion of online Americans now say the internet has greatly improved their ability to shop than said so five years ago - 32 percent vs. 16 percent - according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, writes Internet Retailer.

The percentage of Americans with broadband connections at home has increased to 42 percent, and internet penetration has reached an all-time high: 73 percent of American adults use the internet, up from 66 percent in January 2005.

Internet use still varies across age groups: 88 percent of 18-29-year-olds and 84 percent of 30- 49-year-olds regularly go online, compared with 71 percent of 50-64-year-olds and 32 percent of those ages 65 and older.