This is another in a regular series on information for advisors intended to help them better understand their clients and possibly open up new niche markets to them.

It is based on data gleaned from the RTS consumer survey conducted by BBM Canada, a Toronto-based not-for-profit, industry-owned and -run broadcast audience research organization. BBM Canada conducts the bi-annual RTS survey with a sample size of more than 60,000 respondents, providing detailed insight into the consumer preferences of Canadians across a spectrum of industries including financial, banking and e-commerce. Today’s “factoid” is taken from the most current (fall 2004) BBM RTS release.

One may think that Canadians who use a full-service investment broker and those who use on-line stock trading would have drastically different investment profiles. But a recent survey shows they also have a number of traits in common.

According to a recent RTS survey, about 4.98 million Canadians use a full-service investment broker vs about 1.75 million Canadians, who buy and sell investments online.

Full-service users tend to be older — 60% are 45 or older and men (49%) and women (51%) are equally represented among Canadians using the full-service approach.

Online traders tend to be middle-aged with 50% between 35 and 54 years old, although another 22% are younger (between 25 and 34). Men make up 60% of the total using on-line stock trading

But both groups have very upscale incomes. About 7% of those using a full service broker have a personal yearly income of $100,000 or more (2.6 times the national average with this income), while the comparable figure for online trading Canadians is 8%.

Among Canadians who use full-service brokers, 86% have an RRSP, 33% have stocks, 21% have GICs, 19% have Canada Savings Bonds and 15% have other bonds. About 8% have investment real estate. Almost three out of four (73%) did not contribute the maximum to their RRSP in the past year and 13% have changed the institution they use for investments in the past year.

Eight out of 10 online traders have an RRSP and are four times more likely than the average Canadian to have stocks, 2.6 times more likely to have investment real estate, twice as likely to have bonds in general but only average likelihood to hold CSBs. According to the survey, 68% did not contribute the maximum to their RRSP in the past year.

Comparing size of portfolio, 36% of those who use full-service brokers have a total investment portfolio worth $100,000 or more (more than twice the national average having this level of investment), while 30% of online traders have a total portfolio worth $100,000 or more.

Among full-service clients, 9% also trade online.

Of the online group surveyed, Quebecers are most likely to use on-line stock trading (9% vs 7% national average), while Atlantic Canadians and those in the Prairie provinces are least likely — with 2% and 5% respectively. Ontario and British Columbia are at the national average.