Overall, the study found that approximately one out of every two online purchases is preceded by research on a search engine. In the case of the travel segment, nearly three out of four travel buyers consulted search engines before making a purchase.
Livenomadic
1:29 pm on Mar 3, 2005 (gmt 0)
All the more reason that content is king, especially content directly related to the product.
europeforvisitors
3:07 pm on Mar 3, 2005 (gmt 0)
That's an interesting study. What caught my eye was the statement that most buyers complete their purchase-related search-engine research two or more weeks before they buy (54.7% in the case of travel, where only 23.8% bought during the same session.)
freshfish
5:51 pm on Mar 3, 2005 (gmt 0)
Thats the great thing about affiliates that use cookies to track referred customers. They click on the affiliate's site after you gave them some good info and they like what they saw...but they have to discuss that $2000 trip to Vegas with the wifey...they then go back to the affiliates site and make the purchase...and the cookie gives you credit for the sale even if its 2-3 weeks later! Cool
mosaic service
11:50 am on Mar 4, 2005 (gmt 0)
this is even true to all corporate purchase as well.
I read this research explaining that most of corporate purchase decisions are preceeded by search for that product online. It can be manufacturers' webite or a product comparision study.
voices
6:10 pm on Mar 4, 2005 (gmt 0)
Well I have always known that that is the way I shop.
