How We Shop in 2010: Habits and Motivations of Consumers, the latest report by eConsultancy, takes a look at consumer behavior in both the US and UK with a focus on 1) how consumers interact with e-commerce brands 2) how consumers conduct product research and 3) how consumers are affected by different factors in the buying decision-making process. e-Commerce has become, like every other aspect of the digital world, increasingly dynamic – a direct result of the changing behaviors and motivations of consumers.
The results included…
How Consumers Interact
- In the US, the purchase process for women tends to involve a greater range of media than men, and to take longer.
- In the US, the age range most reliant on e-commerce is the 27 to 38 year-old demographic.
- In the US, people over the age of 38 are significantly less likely to use social networks to pursue product information or seek recommendations.
- In the UK, more than a third of consumers (38%) do not use a social profile site.
- In the UK, more than half of consumers (57%) appreciate receiving advertising messages if they are directly beneficial, such as receiving a discount on a product or service.
How Consumers Research
- In the US, 68% of consumers aged 18-26 use emailed coupons online.
- In the US, people over the age of 38 are significantly less likely to use social networks to pursue product information or seek recommendations.
- In the UK, nearly two-thirds of consumers (61%) use search engines to help them in their product research decisions leading up to purchase.
- In the UK, three-quarters (75%) of young people (18-26) use recommendations on social sites to help them research products prior to purchase
How Consumers Buy
- In the US, more than half (55%) of consumers report that a product with a high rating will increase their likelihood of purchasing.
- In the US, location is a more powerful factor in the buying equation than many of the other variables that are used to target products.
- In the UK, over a third of consumers (36%) say that receiving an email prompts them to make an online purchase.
- In the UK, two thirds (61%) of consumers expect to receive delivery notification via email.
- In the UK, the lowest priority for consumers when considering purchasing a product is the price.
Intelligence for the Trenches
We know, data is all well and good but what the heck does this all mean for your business, right? Think of marketing data and trends like a compass in your e-commerce marketing… another tool in your arsenal to help you be successful in navigating the digital battlefield. It’s as simple as that. We passed the report around to our team and here’s what we think you need to take away from this particular report:
Know your audience. Much of the data provided had clear divides in behaviors and motivations based on demographics like age and sex. The data shows who is using social networks for research and who is affected by media in purchasing as clearly divided by sex and age. Pay attention to who your audience is. It matters.
Understand how your audience interacts. Or, you’ll lose right out of the gate. Age and sex were big factors in how people interacted with e-commerce sites/brands. Even more important, when they interacted and how that leads to research and ultimately buying can change as your consumer adopts different technology or doesn’t.
Oldies are still goodies. Email is still king, even with the younger generations. The right kind of advertising (discounts, promotions) still work. If you stepped into the circles of many, early adopting new media marketers, you’d hear otherwise. Don’t give up on the older channels. Data, across the board, shows that they still work. Email is a perfect example.
If your business is e-commerce, this report is definitely worth taking a dive into, with great data to put a reality check back into your marketing.
Stay focused. Stay intelligent.
About @WebSuccessDiva
Report: How Consumers Interact, Research and Buy http://ow.ly/2eJkO
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Report: How Consumers Interact, Research and Buy http://bit.ly/9As4uM
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
RT: @websuccessdiva: Report: How Consumers Interact, Research and Buy http://ow.ly/18eykF
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
RT @digpeascarrots: Report: How Consumers Interact, Research and Buy http://ow.ly/18eykH
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
RT @alexbobadilla: RT: @websuccessdiva: Report: How Consumers Interact, Research and Buy http://ow.ly/18eykF [THANKS FOR SHARING!]
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
RT @websuccessdiva: RT @alexbobadilla: RT: @websuccessdiva: Report: How Consumers Interact, Research and Buy http://ow.ly/18eykF [THANKS FOR SHARING!]
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Understanding how consumers interact with, research and buy from e-commerce sites. http://ow.ly/2eJrS
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
“Report: How Consumers Interact, Research and Buy” – http://bit.ly/c1dLpv via @websuccessdiva
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
RT @Ron_Hudson: “Report: How Consumers Interact, Research and Buy” – http://bit.ly/c1dLpv via @websuccessdiva
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Report: How Consumers Interact, Research and Buy http://digitalpeasandcarrots.com/report-how-consumers-buy/
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Maria,
Really interesting stuff here and while I think e-mail may still work with adults in the UK with the youth I see seething very different. Most only have an e-mail address to communicate with the adults in their life or because it is a requirement to get on a social network and very very rarely do they use it as a communication tool.
What these stats show us is that marketers need to really take notice of the social conversations that youth are having and somehow try to see how they can become part of these. “In the UK, three-quarters (75%) of young people (18-26) use recommendations on social sites to help them research products prior to purchase”. This is absolutely my experience and companies need to be trying to figure out how they can make their reviews/thoughts on their product more social. How can they mobilize a tribe of people to sell for them.
What this shows to me is the massive shift between “selling to the youth” verses “mobilizing the youth” to talk about your product. A massive difference. It also shows that you need to know and understand the generation you are marketing to or with so you can effectively create what is needed.
Sarah, I agree completely. Much of this data certainly is ground-breaking or shocking and really just brings to mind the idea that marketers, need to understand their audience — whether youth or baby boomers. Generations communicate, interact, and purchase differently… understanding these differences or lack of understanding will have a great impact on results.
Maria, Yep long gone are the “one size fits all” days
Latest: How consumers interact, research and buy (US and UK) http://ow.ly/2fevt
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Great idea for a post, and great content too. Who says everything’s been done before?
This comment was originally posted on Successful Blog
Love my mommy’s new site!
says:
Thanks for the research statistics! You’re right. It’s crucial to know your target target online behavior. I have noticed that Baby Boomers responds faster to email than Facebook or Twitter messages. Where the younger generations respond faster to Facebook and Twitter message than email.
Such a good observation, we’ve noticed the same in our client work!