20 Mar Report says 91 percent of women do online research before making a purchase
Marketing firm Interactions has released Retail Perceptions, a survey that reveals insights from consumers on their shopping behaviors as well as their opinions of the latest retail trends. In the first report of 2014, “The Power of Persuasion,” Interactions’ primary research findings reveal the strong influence online product reviews have on women’s shopping behaviors.
According to the results, 91 percent of women surveyed conduct online research prior to making a purchase, and 92 percent are willing to pay more for competing products that receive positive online reviews. Interactions also found that 30 percent of women use a mobile device to conduct research and 37 percent of mobile users say they conduct research during their shopping trip.
“These numbers speak to the impact that mobile is having on the retail industry. Consumers want information on their terms and their schedules, which means that both retailers and manufacturers need to adapt, if they haven’t already,” said Giovanni DeMeo, VP of global marketing and analytics for Interactions.
The research revealed some unexpected findings, as well. Only 3 percent of women who shop online say that social media sites are their preferred source for product reviews, while 60 percent rely on retailers’ websites when deciding whether or not to purchase a product. The report also shows that 80 percent are influenced to purchase a product after viewing positive reviews, and 67 percent say they are less likely to purchase a product they were considering after viewing negative online reviews.