Online shoppers are being more cautious about their purchases and spending more time researching products and finding the best deal before buying, according to a new survey.
Channel Advisor's white paper (pdf) looks at the shopping habits of US consumers, finding that while they are online as much as before, but spending less.
Some highlights from the survey:
Free shipping works
We've talked about free delivery as a sales driver before on this blog, and the survey results show the effect it can have on consumer's purchase decisions. It had the biggest influence on web shoppers when deciding to buy, followed by product reviews and free returns policies:
Search is crucial in product research
81% of product searches start with Google, with Yahoo dropping slightly to 11% compared to the last survey in Q1 2009. Bing already has a 2% share, and can also claim the highest click-through rates according to the survey:
Amazon and eBay dominate consumers' minds
Amazon is the first online retailer that 30% of shoppers think of when shopping online, followed by eBay on 14%. Both sites were also regular shopping destinations for 70% of consumers.
Graham Charlton is Editor at Econsultancy. Follow him on Twitter or connect via Linkedin or Google+.
Recommended reports
How We Shop in 2010: Habits and Motivations of Consumers
How We Shop in 2010: Habits and Motivations of Consumers is split into two separate documents for the US and UK, examining e-commerce consumer behavior in both countries. Both reports focus on how consumers interact with e-commerce brands, conduct product research and the different factors in the buying decision-making process.
Alternatively, see our E-commerce Platforms Buyer's Guide or Selling Online: a How-to Guide for Small Businesses.
3:05PM on 11th August 2009
Interesting research.
A little bit of topic, but I'm wondering if research exists about people shopping for postal services (or alike) online.Stamps, enveloppes, ...
and what the future lookout would be for Postal companies in the online space (RoyalMail, USPS, Deutsche Post, ....) to enter new categories for selling e.g photoservice, e-cards,insurances, ...
All best,
Johan
1:16PM on 17th August 2009
I am also interested in avoiding the state of residency sales tax, especially on big ticket items. It can be quite a savings added on to the free shipping.