The Internet Makes Shoppers Less Impulsive, More Social
A study from Yahoo and Universal McCann (UM) looked at the new dynamics in the path to purchase so marketers can better utilize digital media to engage shoppers. “The Long and Winding Road: Gamesmanship of Shopping” found that the growing array of online tools available to consumers have made them “active creators and distributors of product information and opinions.”
“Consumers have become an integral part of the process and are having fun with it,” according to the study. “This has lead to a new shopping mindset that is analogous to playing a game. The result for advertisers is a shopping landscape that is more complicated but provides a wealth of opportunities. How can marketers influence purchase behavior in this new shopping paradigm and where in the purchase path they can leverage new tools?”
The study surveyed 2,485 purchasers or intenders across six categories: electronics, automobile, personal care, retailers, finance and OTC medicine. Yahoo and UM also conducted qualitative interviews with marketers to better understand their digital marketing needs and pressing questions. The two companies also spoke with 45 tech-savvy consumers in the U.S. who used digital tools and resources in recent purchase processes.
Yahoo and UM found that 69 percent of shoppers said they trusted the Internet for information on products and services, followed by 43 percent who said magazines and 35 percent who said TV.
The study also found that consumers have become less impulsive thanks to the Internet, as 55 percent of respondent said the Internet has made them less impulsive, 28 percent noted no change and 17 percent said the Internet has made them more impulsive. The Internet, it seems, has given shoppers tools to use to conduct research and take their time before making their decisions.
“Social networks, user reviews and smartphones instantly facilitate the sharing of consumer expertise and experience,” according to the report, and as a result shopping has become more of a social affair. According to the study, 49 percent of consumers give advice to others, “motivated by a feeling of solidarity with other shoppers.” This results in consumers collaborating and competing with each other, adding to the “gamesmanship aspect of shopping,” according to Yahoo and UM.
The quickly growing presence of coupon sites and price-comparison sites has led consumers to see finding great deals as “cool.” Eighty-two percent of respondents said that finding a great deal on a product contributed most to the feeling of winning, while 60 percent said the same for the competitive aspect of shopping (getting a better price than others). Meanwhile, 69 percent of shoppers said they now seek deals and coupons online, and 49 percent said they use coupons now because of the Internet.
Yahoo and UM highlight five implications for marketers:
- Marketers should contribute to the social ecosystem by jumping into the conversation and creating more personal and authentic relationships with their customers.
- Marketers should create reward systems that deliver the “consumer win” by making them feel special.
- Marketers don’t need to be considered a consumer’s friend, but they should use the right media to help consumers. Trusted sites perform better.
- Online sources are as, if not more, influential as offline sources.
- Your presence online can and should be emotionally delightful and not just purely rational.
Source:
http://advertising.yahoo.com/industry-knowledge/gamesmanship-of-shopping-insight.html
