Analysis by PowerReviews and the e-tailing group Looks at How Consumers Research, Select and Purchase Goods Online
SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire - Jun 15, 2011) - PowerReviews and the e-tailing group today released the 2011 Social Shopping Study, which looks at how consumers research, select and purchase goods online. The findings of this year's survey indicate that today's consumers are incredibly sophisticated shoppers who dedicate a significant amount of time to researching products prior to purchase, and employ a variety of tools in order to find the best prices. There is also ample evidence that as Facebook become more and more ingrained in the day-to-day lives of consumers, there is tremendous potential for brands and retailers to leverage the site as a means for driving engagement.
The 2011 study is based on a survey of more than 1,000 consumers about their online shopping habits, as well as their level of engagement with brands and retailers across various online channels. Special attention is given to the role of research in the online shopping process, and which media -- including product reviews and ratings, Facebook and retail communities -- wield the most influence on the decision to buy.
Among the key findings are:
Research is extremely important in the purchase process.
Amazon.com is the defacto site for product reviews and price checking.
Facebook and social media are starting to play a bigger role in people's shopping habits, but there's still significant room for growth.
Mobile usage relative to shopping is mostly centered on competitive pricing.
"This study proves just how much people value each other's opinions about products and services, and how much influence those opinions hold over how people shop and what they buy," said PowerReviews CEO Pehr Luedtke. "Additionally, there remains a significant opportunity for retailers and brands to leverage Facebook as a platform for connecting with customers in order to build engagement and drive sales."
"It is interesting to see the evolution of the consumer who can now access information across various channels," said Lauren Freedman, president of the e-tailing group. "They are hungry to find the right information about products they are researching and are willing to spend significant time to take advantage of user-generated content and most importantly to be rewarded by purchasing it at the price they want to pay."
PowerReviews helps to power the websites of leading brands and retailers, giving their customers access to detailed product reviews, ratings and information. The company's focus is on social commerce solutions that drive sales and grow customer relationships.
To download a copy of the study, click here.
About PowerReviews
PowerReviews is the leading provider of social commerce software-as-a-service solutions to global retailers and brands. The company's unique structured data approach to collecting, organizing, and analyzing user-generated content significantly boosts product sales and customer engagement. PowerReviews is live on over 5,000 websites -- across 13 languages in 21 countries -- including Staples, Drugstore.com, Room & Board, ESPN, Neutrogena, Quicksilver, and Jockey.
About the e-tailing group
The e-tailing group is a niche e-commerce consultancy that helps merchants deliver the right customer experience on their websites and across all of their channels while adeptly assisting technology companies to create and execute go-to-market strategies that simultaneously educate the retail community and deliver cost-effective thought leadership and lead generation. For more background about our research or for additional information on the e-tailing group, inc. please contact Lauren Freedman via email at LF@e-tailing.com, by phone to 773-975-7280 or visit the e-tailing group website www.e-tailing.com.
Contact Information:
Media Contact:
Lindsey Scott or Corey Lewis
415-625-8555
power (at) launchsquad (dot) com