Shoppers who search online for digital cameras and televisions spend ten percent more when they make their purchase in store, compared to those who did not use a search engine, according to new research from Yahoo and ChannelForce.
The survey found that a majority of consumers research products online before making in store purchases. Seventy five percent who researched what they were going to buy before visiting a retail location used the Internet as their main source of information. The most widely used online resources were retail Web sites (73%), manufacturer Web sites (68%) and search engines (49%).
Consumers who use search engines to research online spend an average of $31 more on digital cameras and $46 more on digital camera packages and an average of $139 more on TVs and $190 on TV packages.
The majority of people who research have made a decision on what they will buy before they arrive at a store. Over 80 percent of shoppers who research before making a purchase stick to what the initially intended to buy. The other 20 percent say they are influenced by the store sales person.
“This study confirms and quantifies that a more informed consumer is a more valuable consumer,” said David Rubinstein, senior director, technology and telecommunications category, Yahoo! Search Marketing. “Manufacturers have a huge opportunity here — even if they don’t sell products online, their online efforts are impacting what people are buying in stores.”
“We’ve known that the brand experience begins well before the shopper walks into the store, and this study confirms how critical the in-store experience is to the consumer’s decision and the opportunity for the sales staff to educate, support and upsell,” said Kurt Higgins, president, ChannelForce. “Manufacturers and retailers should consider this information not only for marketing, but also for continuously educating and evangelizing the store personnel.”
