Toolbar as a confidence indicator in buying

Does PR play a role in the buying decission.

[lgn]

Has their been any statistics, on the percentage of consummers that actually use the google toolbar. I suspect that it is becoming even more popular with the pop-up blocker.

Which leads to the second question. Does PR play a role in a buying decission. I suspect that the average consumer has no clue what page rank is and will be just as likely to buy from a PR0 site as a PR8 site.

Any thoughts on this topic?

[bateman_ap]

No stats but I think it might work the other way round, the more experienced of us now realise the toolbar is so flaky at the mo as to offer no indication of a reputable site.

Personally and I know there are ugly sites that sell, you don't need to tell me, I like a professional looking site and more than anything the lovely padlock in the bottom of the browser, without that no CC. And a quick straw poll round the office with the dumb users (including the one who spent most of friday trying to open the blocked pif file) agree with the padlock and with the sole excetpion of one knew anything about pagerank, although a good 70% use the toolbar.

[Mohamed_E]

I am pretty sure that for the average user the toolbar is a navigational aid (easy searches) plus popup blocker, either does not enable PR or does not care much about it.

[skipfactor]

Does PR play a role in a buying decission?

I'm apprehensive on cheezy e-comm sites; I bail on cheezy e-comm sites with a grey bar-when it's working fine elsewhere.

I suspect that the average consumer has no clue what page rank is and will be just as likely to buy from a PR0 site as a PR8 site.

Absolutely