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Are You Losing Sales To Competitors?

DoubleClick


December 06, 2005
Found in: Articles : News :


The Research

The Internet continues to grow as a resource for buyers of a wide array products and services. In a recent "Touchpoints" study by DoubleClick, a leading Marketing Tools and Analysis company, consumers revealed that company websites are more important than Television and other media sources when making purchasing decisions:

As part of the survey, DoubleClick asked consumers about their purchases (both online and offline) within the last six months in the following ten categories: Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Credit Cards and Banking, Home Improvement Products, Investments and Mortgages, Movies, Personal/Home Care, Prescription Drugs, Telecom Services and Travel. The survey examined the sequence of how consumers first learn about products in these categories, how they further learn about them and which factor most influenced their purchase decision.

Significantly, even relative to TV and print advertising, the Internet shows great strength in influencing purchases. When asked which touchpoints most influenced their purchase decision, respondents cited websites as more important than TV advertisements in seven out of 10 product/service categories. Web marketing programs collectively (web ads plus opt-in email programs) also outranked TV ads in three categories (Travel, Banking and Credit Cards, and Investments and Mortgages).

Of the Internet sites used, the official company website proved the most valuable:

In eight out of the 10 categories, respondents cited the official website of the manufacturer or service provider as one of their top four choices as a resource for learning more about a product in which they were interested.

Additionally, a consumer research targeted "Search Before The Purchase" report revealed that in some categories, " approximately one out of every two online purchases is preceded by research on a search engine":

The study, which analyzes pre-purchase search activity across four categories (Apparel, Computer Hardware, Sports & Fitness and Travel), showed that roughly half of all online shoppers conducted related research at a search engine before making an online purchase. It also found that most searchers complete their purchase-related search activity weeks in advance of the purchase transaction. While it is widely accepted that searches that lead directly to a purchase are often brand-related search queries, the study shows that brand names of online retailers were in the minority of all the purchase-related searches made during their shopping research.

The Solution

Given the habits that consumers already have, it is clear one of the best ways to increase sales and brand penetration for your product or service is to give potential customers the timely and accurate information they want via your official website. Getting this done by modifying static content is a daunting task. To simplify reaching the goal of informing your customers, Enthusiast provides a variety of services that enable you to leverage existing resources to reach these potential customers.

Let your expert staff contribute directly to the website with simple tools and give them flexibility to do it when convenient, at or away from the office. Leverage natural and paid search engine marketing to get more eyes researching and talking about your business or organization to further grow the best form of influence, word of mouth.

For more information, contact us to schedule a free consultation.




About Enthusiast, Inc.

::Enthusiast is a team of goal focused, Internet strategy enthusiasts specializing in creative solutions that meet goals and deliver results. To see how Enthusiast can help you grow, contact us for a free 30 minute goal discussion.


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