Recent research has indicated that consumers are embracing digital shopping. While this is great news for all eCommerce store owners and operators, it also means consumer product research has emerged as a major eCommerce trends. Online retailers and marketers now need to be hyper-aware of customer visiting patterns, product search results, and competitive pricing.
Instead of going to the store, the process of buying a products now starts online. According to this recent Forrester survey, potential customers mainly turn to Google and Amazon for initial product research while depending on online sources as tools to make informed decisions over whether the product is right for them and if it’s in their pricing range.
Concerning eCommerce store operators, this brings up several things:
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A very high 82% of the people involved in the survey have said they research a product online before buying it. Shoppers have become more and more familiar with researching information through multiple sources, and their purchases depend on price, value, and whether it’s truly the right product for them. |
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High search results, attractive presentation, and competitive pricing play the deal breaker roles in making a sale. If you tailor a product and target it to the right audience, sales are destined to grow. |
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Social media does not play a major role in a consumer's shopping habits. Clear, quality information and highly-indexed search items (especially through Amazon and Google) are king in getting your customers’ attention. The most important tool remains the search engine. |
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To compete for a consumer’s attention, a site must have an easy-to-navigate store, products that can be search-indexed, and product information that upholds a customer’s exhaustive research information. The more one-of-a-kind you can make it, the better. |
The survey also defined specific consumer roles:
| 54% are digital researchers. They will primarily use online resources. |
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| 28% are balanced researchers. They use online and traditional marketing resources, like print, media, and radio to make buying decisions. |
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| Together, they make the 82% involved in online research. The 18% left are analog researchers. They still use traditional media to research a product, but that number is sure to dwindle. |
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| While it does mention that 67% of consumers surveyed are still more likely to make a purchase at a traditional store after research online, 58% say they are more likely to buy from a computer or laptop. That number is sure to grow |
Online product research is a full-blown phenomenon and one that the eCommerce industry is in a perfect position to take advantage of. With the help of high-ranking search results and quality product information, online retailers can easily make a sale.
