A recent Nielsen Online survey found that 80% of the consumers who made electronics purchases in retail locations visited the store’s website first. Long gone are the days where we senselessly meander a store, trying to absorb every last molecule of data from the product’s packaging. Now we’re online scouring testimonials, product details, company history and comparison charts like there’s no tomorrow. Therefore, the study concludes, having an experienced website marketing working for you is vital to more than just your e-commerce, but an important component of your offline sales as well.
Additionally, 53% of those surveyed said they purchased from the retailer whose website they had spent the most time browsing. Sites with blogs, videos, detailed descriptions, article links and testimonials did fairly well then. So even sites like Target or Barnes & Noble — that already have recognizable name brands – found that the work of website marketing really boosted their sales.
If given the choice of only researching their purchases online or at a retail outlet, 58% of the respondents said they’d choose online. Nielsen panelists were surprised to learn that consumers’ desire to research encompassed every type of product – even pet food! To research safety, product recalls, ingredients and nutrition, 44% of pet food consumers went online to learn more before buying.
Ask Website Marketing SEO for a site consultation today to find out how we can help you deliver the information your consumers need, along with the necessary persuasion to inspire them to buy – whether it’s online immediately or in a store later.