Consumers Researching Online Before Buying In The Store.
February 22, 2005
Retailers who aren’t integrating their in-store marketing with online initiatives risk losing incremental sales opportunities according to just released survey from BIGresearch. Over 7,300 consumers participated in the February Consumer Intentions and Actions survey and 75% of them said they regularly or occasionally go online to research before making an in-store purchase.
“Most retailers have focused on their in-store experience but for many consumers online research is replacing the store as a way of gathering information on products and pricing before purchasing at the store level,” said Joe Pilotta, PhD, BIGresearch. “The new consumer shopping model fits the needs of today’s shopper who is more knowledgeable and wants to have the option of purchasing goods and services where they want, when they want. Retailers who focus only on in-store shopping risk loosing incremental sales opportunities as both men and women are equally engaged in this dynamic,” said Pilotta.
The survey asked consumers whether they researched online before purchasing any of the following products or services categories: Apparel; Auto; Electronics; Financial Services; Food; Household Cleaning Products; Housing; Shoes; and Travel.
Other key findings from the survey include:
74% of men and 74% of women regularly or occasionally said they research one or more products online before purchasing in a store.
For men, 79.8% said they research electronics before buying in-store, making it the #1 category.
For women, 70.8% research travel online before, making it the #1 category.
Housing has the youngest average age, 40.3 years, for those who research online.
Travel has the oldest average age of online researchers at 44.1 years.
For income groups the top categories researched online before purchasing:
Less than $15,000 – Food
$25,000 – $34,999 – Electronics
$50,000 – $74,999 – Housing
$100,000 Plus – Financial Services
The top 2 categories 18-24 year olds research online before purchasing are shoes and apparel.
African Americans research shoes online more than any other category.
Hispanics research apparel online more than any other category.
Whites research travel online more than any other category.
For more information at http://www.bigresearch.com
