Blog

For comparison shoppers, the web is a powerful place. It’s never been easier to evaluate products, assess the competition, research specifications and find the best price.

The good news for organizations: As a new study notes, those comparison shoppers can be swayed by what you present online. According to the Jupiter Research study, 61% of “reluctant” shoppers say they can be positively influenced by online shopping resources.

From a Search Engine Watch summary of the study:

Consumers are shopping around and leaving their options open. 42% visited 3 or more sites to research their last purchase, and only 33% of online shoppers had made up their minds about the price they were willing to pay for their purchase in advance of going online to research.

That leaves some good wiggle room for sites and brands to compete. Before researching:

* 31% had made up their minds on which item or title to choose
* 23% knew which brand they wanted to buy
* 16% knew which store they would purchase from
* 13% knew when they would make their purchase

This study reminds us about the power of quality online content. If your organization makes it easy to locate those important details, answer consumer questions and demonstrate your advantages, you’re far more likely to earn trust and potentially make the sale. And if your product has earned positive online reviews and ratings, your chances are even better.

How do you make it happen? Connect your content with consumer needs, offer it through many channels (e-mail, RSS and others), optimize for search engines, and reach out to sway those reluctant shoppers.