What is your web buying M.O.?

Do you visit a website 8 times before purchasing?

[lioness]

I heard/read/saw somewhere that the average buyer visits a website 8 times before they buy. That doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

Most of the time I purchase via the web, I know what I want. I either go to a site hoping to find it, or knowing I'll find it (from past purchases). Either way, I mostly buy from the web for convenience.

What about everyone else?

[Knowles]

I would say thats pretty much how my purchases happen. You might ask in the Ecommerce and Ecommerce Promotion [webmasterworld.com] section and see if anyone can kinda give you there states if they are seeing 8 visits or any sorta pattern.

[jatar_k]

when I buy it is always one shot. Know the site, know the product etc. If I don't know what I am looking for or where to find it I go to the mall.

[mivox]

If it's a major purchase, I'll visit multiple sites well more than 8 times, comparing all the features of whatever it is I'm buying, figuring out what features I'll sacrifice for lower price, and finally -- when I really know exactly what I want -- where is the absolute cheapest place to get it.

I just spent about two weeks shopping around for a small kiln, before finally buying one for cheap on ebay.

I am an ecommerce site's nightmare shopper. hehe.

[jdMorgan]

I'll typically visit 3 times.

Survey - hunting vendors and product info.
Compare - comparing prices, availability, shipping methods/cost.
Buy.

Jim

[mahlon]

The goal would be to have first time visitors to WANT to buy from you of course. Any site that takes 8 or even 3 glances needs some work.

[dcheney]

It depends for me. I have some sites that I visit regularly (and purchase from regularly) where I basically check "what's new" - mostly because I know roughly when something I want will be available - so I keep checking until its for sale.

In other cases I know what I want and if you want my business then make it quick and easy to get me in and out as fast as possible ;-)

[skibum]

Sounds about right. If something varies widely in price, one site may not get visited 8 times, but there may be a lot more than 8 visits total.

If I know exactly what I want and have purchased from the merchant before, it'll generally take one visit.

There is probably a huge gap between those buying something who know exactly what they want and those discovering something new and pondering the purchase for a while.

A major purchase like a car or computer configuaration may require many more visits for most people.

[BlobFisk]

If I see something online that I'm interested in buying, I'll do a quick check at other reputable sites to compare the price, and then just buy.

I can't say that I'd visit a place 8 times before buying it... but then I do have a bit of a compulsive buyer streak in me!

[Sinner_G]

A point you shouldn't forget is that we here are all very comfortable with the Internet and its uses. Thus there is less inhibition to buy on the web and it goes faster, with less visits.

For myself, it depends largely what I want to buy. If it is a book, I'll go to amazon and buy it directly. If I'm looking say for a new log analysis software, I'll visit all the sites many times (and ask on WW) before I decide and buy.

[TallTroll]

I think you'll find that as many 'Net shoppers are very price concious (one of the reasons they are using it as a shopping resource, after all), there is a tendency to visit many sites selling the product you are looking for initially, then come up with a shorter list, and visit them all again, then a shorter list again, etc, etc

Eventually, you whittle down to the last 2 or 3, but even then you may hold off on the actual purchase while you look for special offers, information on your target sites to see if they have a good (or bad) reputation for service, speed, quality and so on

Add in a few speculative random return vists, and you can get to 8 visits/sale quite easily.

As has been pointed out, bear in mind that this community is far more comfortable with the Net, and the implications of online purchasing than the general web population, so our experiences are not likely to be a good guide when trying to assess your "average surfer" type, and their behavior

Personally, I buy in 1 visit (where a site is supplying a very specific product or service that I already know I want AND cant get elsewhere), or within 3/4 visits (one wide ranging initial sweep, comparing many sites from a variety of sources, then one or two comparative visits to ensure I'm getting the best deal I can find, then the actual purchase)

Like most of us here though, I am comfortable with the processes involved, I know where the likely good starting points are, and I'm fairly fast and efficient at finding the information I need to make a decision. I am also aware that many Net users don't have the same tools, knowledge and experience that I do

That lack of knowledge/experience is one of the big stumbling blocks, IMHO. Your average surfer doesn't have an appreciation of the out-of-sight processes that are happening, and therefore takes longer to build sufficient trust in a site to commit

[tedster]

A major factor here is "What are you selling?" If it's consumer goods, then some price comparisons and a check to see if the company feels reputable is all I need. One, maybe two visits.

However, if it's a pricey software app, with lots of features -- or maybe a one of a kind something or other that may or may not fill the need I was researching, in those cases I may take lots of time and visits.

The web is a great place for companies to market a "unique" item that people may not even know exists. Those purchases take some extra visits for building confidence in the vendor.

One of my clients sells some high end software - they are nearly one of a kind (two other companies in roughly the same area). Their website is designed with tons of information, and a lot of it isn't really on-topic for their particular application. It's just supportive information for the community, including and ESPECIALLY non-users who are in this professional field.

They've learned that it takes lots of time to convince someone to make this particular purchase - I'd bet it's way more than 8 visits. They need to do a good job of confidence building over time, because the product is a sizeable investment that will be an essential part of the users professional life indefinitely.

In contrast, there are sites that sell an item that is available in hundreds or thousands of locations. Yes, they need to work for the one visit purchase.

The study that said 8 visits is the average (mostly I've read 3 to 5) was probably surveying a wide variety of online sales, and not just consumer goods.

[bcc1234]

Nice personal stats guys... Hehe.

But, please don't tell me THIS message board is populated with AVERAGE buyers.

LOL.