All Eyes on 'Idol': Shopzilla Survey Reveals Viewers' Preferences for 'American Idol' and Merchandise

LOS ANGELES, CA (Shopzilla) - Even after five seasons Fox's smash hit "American Idol" continues to pull in viewers by the millions, and it does not look like it's going to fizzle anytime soon. According to a BizRate Research study of 1,623 online shoppers conducted for the leading online shopping comparison site Shopzilla, 36% of the people surveyed say they will continue to watch the show "as long as it's still worth watching." Only 11% of the survey participants revealed that they will not watch the show "past this season," while 39% are not sure how much longer they will continue to tune in.

A majority (55%) of the people surveyed say they have been watching since Season One. Less than one fifth (19%) jumped on the "Idol" bandwagon Season Two, while Seasons Three (8%) and Four (7%) generated the fewest new fans, and 11% of those surveyed began watching this season.

Aside from being a television ratings giant, "American Idol" also drives CD sales, as 35% of the people surveyed have purchased an "Idol" alumni's music. Of that 35%, 20% have shelled out their cash for a Kelly Clarkson album. Carrie Underwood and Clay Aiken are second and third respectively, with 12% purchasing Underwood's music and 11% buying an Aiken album. The "American Idol" craze has spawned such a plethora of merchandise that there are currently more than 40 categories for "American Idol" merchandise on www.shopzilla.com, from belt buckles, children's dolls, perfumes, karaoke sets, games and collectibles, to name a few.

Nearly one-third (32%) of the shoppers surveyed say they have participated in the show's voting process. Women are more likely to cast a vote for the country's next pop star, 36% compared to just 23% of the men. While the show offers two methods of sending in votes, telephone calls or text messages, an overwhelming majority (84%) of the survey participants have called in their votes.

Each season presents surprises, and this season was no different when the highly favored Chris Daughtry was eliminated from the competition on May 10th. Survey participants predicted Daughtry as the winner, bringing in 21% of the votes in the study that was fielded between May 2nd and 5th. Among the contestants remaining, Katherine McPhee is the top choice, with 12% of the shoppers surveyed predicting the Los Angeles native as the next Idol.