Retailers should pay attention to Web shoppers

From: The Garden Island
Published: Wednesday, September 16, 2009 2:10 AM HST

Retailers should pay attention to how consumers are using their Web sites for research and purchasing, states a Where America Shops report.

Based on survey feedback compiled in the most recent Where America Shops report, conducted via the Internet in late June, sampled a cross-section of the American population ages 13 and older, states a release from Surfersvillage Global Surf News.

In a reflection of a weaker economy, 38 percent of the respondents that had purchased sporting goods, including footwear and apparel, online in the last year, said they had purchased less than the previous year. The report found that 54 percent purchased “about the same” and nine percent purchased more online.

Of those respondents that mentioned purchasing less online this year compared to last year, 42 percent indicated the “Have Less Money/Economy” reason as the driving factor limiting their purchases. Seventeen percent said the decline was due to the inability to “Try On or Demo Products” and 12 percent said the decreased online activity was due to “Shipping Costs.”

Respondents that indicated their online purchases increased, 36 percent said the “Cost/Better Price” was the reason for the increased purchasing, while 20 percent indicated “Convenience” as the primary factor, and 17 percent said the Internet shopping experience provided “Greater Selection and Variety of Products.”

Consumers are researching products on retailers’ Web sites, the release states. Of those that had researched products online, 62 percent ended up purchasing the product in-store.

On the other hand, 34 percent of respondents shopped for a product in a store, then purchased it online.

Of those shoppers, 58 percent said the reason they opted for the online purchase was due to pricing while 27 percent cited convenience, and 13 percent indicating selection.

The overall number of people making purchases online has increased with 54 percent of adult respondents reporting they have made a purchase at one of the surveyed Internet retailers in the past year. This is an increase of seven percent from the 2008 survey.

While younger consumers are more apt to make purchases online, the older age groups have made the adjustment to online purchasing, the release states.

A little more than 50 percent of the respondents ages 55 and older have made a purchase at one of the surveyed online retailers in the past year. That number is gaining on the 18 to 34 group, with 60 percent indicating they made an online purchase from at least one of the surveyed retailers.

The SportsOneSource.com 2009 Where America Shops report will be released next week and covers more than 250 pages.